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PAGE 2
THE TRUE MIDNIGHT CRY OR THE 10
TH
DAY OF THE 7
TH
MONTH
MOVEMENT EXAMINED!
SOURCE DOCUMENTS ENCLOSED: -
WE ARE THE ADVENTISTS, THE ADVENT REVIEW, AND SABBATH HERALD, APRIL 18, 1854
JAMES WHITE.
A LETTER FROM WILLIAM MILLER CONCERNING THE 7
TH
JEWISH MONTH - WRITTEN MAY 3
RD
, 1843.
LETTER FROM S. S. SNOW THE MIDNIGHT CRY, FEBRUARY 22, 1844.
LETTER FROM S. S. SNOW THE MIDNIGHT CRY, JUNE 27, 1844.
IN THE MIDST OF THE WEEK. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, JUNE 27, 1844 BY C. S. M.
CONFIRMING THE COVENANT. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, JULY 18, 1844 BY S. S. SNOW.
THE TRUE MIDNIGHT CRY AUGUST 22, 1844 - EDITED BY S. S. SNOW.
CONFERENCE AT URBANA, OHIO. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1844 BY BROTHER
GILLETT.
LETTER FROM SISTER C. STOWE - THE ADVENT HERALD, AND SIGNS OF THE TIMES REPORTER,
OCTOBER 2, 1844.
WORD OF WARNING. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, OCTOBER 3, 1844 BY M. WILLIAMSON.
LITCHFIELD CAMP-MEETING. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, OCTOBER 3, 1844 BY BR. BENEDICT.
THE LAST THREE CAMP-MEETINGS IN CONNECTICUT. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, OCTOBER 3, 1844
BY M. STODDARD.
LETTER FROM PHILADELPHIA. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, OCTOBER 11, 1844 BY CHARLES L. FITCH.
FROM BROTHER MORLEY. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, OCTOBER 11, 1844.
PAGE 3
TRACTS AND PAPERS. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, OCTOBER 12, 1844.
AN EXTRACT FROM A LETTER BY BROTHER NASH CONCERNING THE FRUITS OF THE MIDNIGHT CRY
MESSAGE THE MIDNIGHT CRY, OCTOBER 12, 1844.
Go ye out to meet Him. THE TENTH DAY OF THE SEVENTH MONTH THE ADVENT HERALD, AND
SIGNS OF THE TIMES REPORTER, OCTOBER 16, 1844 BY GEORGE STORRS.
The Present Movement. ITS RISE, PROGRESS AND CHARACTERISTICS. - THE ADVENT HERALD,
AND SIGNS OF THE TIMES REPORTER, OCTOBER 16, 1844, SECOND EDITION.
Bro. Millers Letter, ON THE SEVENTH MONTH. - THE ADVENT HERALD, AND SIGNS OF THE TIMES
REPORTER, OCTOBER 16, 1844, SECOND EDITION.
A DAY OF WONDERS. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, OCTOBER 19, 1844.
FROM BROTHER DAVIDSON. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, OCTOBER 19, 1844.
AN EXTRACT FROM THE VOICE OF ELIJAH CONCERNING THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE
MIDNIGHT CRY MESSAGE THE MIDNIGHT CRY, OCTOBER 19, 1844.
SECOND ADVENT WAY MARKS AND HIGH HEAPS. OR A CONNECTED VIEW, OF THE FULFILMENT OF
PROPHECY, BY GODS PECULIAR PEOPLE, FROM THE YEAR 1840 TO 1847. BY ELDER JOSEPH
BATES, PUBLISHED IN 1847, PAGES 30 33.
A SEAL OF THE LIVING GOD. A HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR THOUSAND OF THE SERVANTS OF GOD
BEING SEALED, In 1849 BY ELDER JOSEPH BATES, PUBLISHED IN 1849, PAGE 67.
AN EXTRACT FROM HIRAM EDSONS MANUSCRIPT RELATING TO HIS EXPERIENCE IN THE 7
TH
MONTH MOVEMENT.
1858 GREAT CONTROVERSY, CHAPTER XXIV THE SECOND ANGELS MESSAGE. pages 140 143
Ellen G. White.
1884 GREAT CONTROVERSY, CHAPTER XVII THE MIDNIGHT CRY. - pages 248 257 Ellen G.
White.
APPENDIX: -
WM. MILLERS APOLOGY AND DEFENCE PAGES 25, 27 & 28 BY WM. MILLER, WRITTEN AUGUST
1, 1845.
PAGE 4
NOTE: - As a number of the copies of the original articles are not easy to read or of a good quality to print from, the
compiler has retyped them. A few of the articles which are of a better quality have been photocopied by the
compiler.
WHY SHOULD WE REPRINT AND STUDY CAREFULLY THESE ORIGINAL ADVENT
DOCUMENTS?
Because inspiration has exhorted us, that we are to accept the truths of the three Advent
messages from those who had an actual experience in these messages. And as all those who had an
actual experience in these three messages are long dead, we can only follow this inspired counsel by
studying carefully from these old writings of these Advent believers.
So, I saw, that those who had no experience in the first and second angels' messages must receive
them from those who had an experience, and followed down through the messages. As Jesus was crucified, so
I saw that these messages have been crucified. And as the disciples declared that there was salvation in no
other name under heaven, given among men; so, also, should the servants of God faithfully and fearlessly
declare that those who embrace but a part of the truths connected with the third message must gladly
embrace the first, second and third messages as God has given them, or have no part nor lot in the matter.
1858 Great Controversy, p. 75.
COMPILED BY R. LEE 2010.
PAGE 5
WE ARE THE ADVENTISTS, THE ADVENT REVIEW, AND SABBATH
HERALD, APRIL 18, 1854 JAMES WHITE.
1
1
This article by Elder James White has been reprinted for two reasons. 1.] It helps answers the question: - Who is a true
Adventist? The answer: - A person who holds fast to the original Advent faith of the 1
st
and 2
nd
messages of Revelation 14:6
8, as proclaimed by the Advent Movement of 1840 1844. 2.] It helps us to see the value of reprinting these original articles
from the Advent Movement. Because they contain the original Advent faith! That is why it has been included at the start of this
Study Document.
PAGE 6
LETTER FROM WILLIAM MILLER CONCERNING THE 7
TH
JEWISH MONTH -
WRITTEN MAY 3
RD
, 1843: -
DEAR BRO. HIMES: - I want to see Brother Bliss in
relation to his calculation of the termination of the
prophetic periods. I hope he may be right, but I think
he is not. I will tell you why. If you will examine, you
will find all the ceremonies of the typical law that
were observed in the first month after the vernal
equinox, had their fulfilment in Christs first advent
and sufferings; but all the feasts and ceremonies in
the seventh about the autumnal equinox, can only
have their fulfilment at his second advent. Let me
notice some.
1. The ark rested on the seventh month,
seventeenth day. This has an appearance of a type,
the rest of the gospel ark at the judgment. Gen. viii. 4.
2. The sanctuary and worshippers, and all
appertaining to it, were cleansed on the seventh
month, tenth to seventeenth day, Lev. xvi. 29 - 34,
surely this is a type.
3. The Israelites of God were to afflict their
souls, from the evening of the ninth, to the evening of
the tenth day, seventh month. Lev. xxiii. 27 32, a
type of the troubles, Dan. xii. 1.
4. The holy convocation of all Israel, seventh
month, 1 15
th
day, Lev. xxiii. 24; Num. xxix. 1. Is not
this a type of the gathering of the elect, Ps. lxxxi. 3, 4;
xcviii. 6 9.
5. The great feast, seventh month, fifteenth
day, all Israel appeared before the Lord. Lev. xxiii. 34;
1 Kings viii. 2. Type of the marriage supper. Heb. xi. 9,
10.
6. The jubilee trump sounded, seventh month,
tenth day, throughout all the land. Lev. xxv. 9, 10.
Type of final redemption. 1 Thess. iv. 14 17.
7. The time of release of all Hebrews in
bondage, seventh month, fifteenth day. Deut. xv. 1
15; xxxi. 10, 11; Jer. xxxiv. 8 14, at the feast of
tabernacles. This evidently is typical of the release of
the Israel of God.
8. The atonement was made on the tenth day,
of the seventh month, and is certainly typical of the
atonement Christ is now making for us. Lev. xvi. 1
34, antitype. Heb. ix. 1 28.
9. When the high priest came out of the holy
of holies after making the atonement, he blessed the
people. Lev. ix. 22, 23; 2 Sam. vi. 18. So will our great
High Priest. Heb. ix. 28. This was on the seventh
month, tenth day.
10. This was in harvest time, the feast of
harvest was kept in the seventh month, from the
tenth day to the seventeenth. Lev. xxiii. 30. And the
end of the world is compared to the harvest. Matt.
xiii. 30. Christ says plain in harvest time.
11. Also in the feast of tabernacles, in the
great day of the feast in the last day. John vii. 2, 37. So
in the last great day, Jesus voice will call forth the
righteous dead. John v. 28, 29; 1 Thess. iv. 16.
Will you and brother Bliss, examine and tell
me, what you think of my scribble on this point. If this
should be true, we shall not see his glorious
appearing until after the autumnal equinox. A few
months more of trial and calumny, and then all will
be over.
WM. MILLER.
Low Hampton, May 3d, 1843.
PAGE 7
LETTER FROM S. S. SNOW THE MIDNIGHT CRY, FEBRUARY 22, 1844:-
For the Midnight Cry.
Dear Bro. Southard, - I wish to present a few
thoughts, for the careful consideration of the dear
brethren of the advent faith, on a point wherein I
differ from many of them, i. e. the termination of the
prophetic periods. This I would do, not because I seek
controversy: far from it, Let there be no strife
between us, for we are brethren. Nor do I seek to
discourage those who, with earnest desire, are
looking for the appearing of our blessed Master,
within the present Jewish year, 1843.
2
Nor yet have I
any desire to put theglorious day afar off. My whole
soul breathes forth the prayer, Come Lord Jesus, and
come quickly. But the Lord has shown me, I think,
that we must wait and suffer alittle longer.
We all believe that the great week must be
accomplished. That the 6000 years, which were
shadowed forth by the six days of creation, must be
completed; and then will come the seventh thousand
the glorious sabbath of rest that remaineth to the
people of God. Now this long period the aion or
age of this present world, began in autumn. In proof
of this, I offer a few considerations. First, it has been
the concurrent opinion of chronologers, both Jewish
and Christian. In the next place, man at his creation
was to subsist upon the fruits and seeds. Gen. 1: 29. It
does not appear reasonable that these were ripe at
any other season than autumn. Again, at the Exodus
from Egypt, a change was made in the
commencement of the year. Ex. 12: 2. This month
shall be to you the beginning of months. Ex. 13: 4.
This day came ye out , in the month Abib. It appears
then, that from the creation to the Exodus, the years
were commenced with some other month.
Accordingly, as appears from the tables of Jewish
time, there have been, since the coming out of Egypt,
twomodes of beginning the year, one with the month
called Ethanim or Tisri, in autumn the other with
Abib or Nisan, in the spring. The latter agreeing with
the time of the Exodus the former, with the
2
William Miller and his associates taught that under the
proclamation of the 1
st
Angels Message, Jesus would come
the second time sometime within the Jewish year 1843.
This was calculated to end in the Northern Hemisphere
spring of 1844. This teaching is mentioned a number of
times within this Study Document by the various Adventist
writers.
reckoning of the years from creation. On the whole,
therefore, I conclude that the 6000 years began in
autumn. And as the dispensation of glory, at the
appearing of Christ, is called by the apostle, the
dispensation of the fullness of times, (Eph. 1: 10,) I
am constrained to believe that this period will
comprise 6000full years. And from all that I have, as
yet been able to discover in the chronology of the
world, these years will be complete in the autumn of
1844.
The seven times of Moses, in Lev. 26, amount
to 2520 full years. They began with the breaking of
the power of Judah, at the captivity of Manassah, B. C.
677. This is the time that has always been given as
the date of their commencement. But there has been
an error in supposing them to terminate in 1843, as I
shall now show. Had they begun withJan. 1, B. C. 677,
they would not have ended before Jan. 1, A. D. 1844.
Or had they begun with the first day of the Jewish
year, in 677, they could not end before the first day of
the Jewish year, 1844. For it is evident that it requires
677 and 1843 entire years to make up the FULL
period of 2520. But any point within B. C. 677, is only
in the 677
th
year before Christ. Reckoning back from
the Christian era, we do not obtain 677 full years, till
we arrive at the extreme point, i. e. the first day of B.
C. 677. So also, reckoning forward from the
commencement of the Christian era, we do not obtain
1843 full years, till we arrive at the extreme point, i.
e. the end of A. D. 1843, or the first day of A. D. 1844.
If, then, the captivity of Manassah did not occur as
early as the first day of the Jewish year, B. C. 677,
then the 2520 years cannot terminate till after the
expiration of the present Jewish year. Now it is
evident that Manassah was not taken in the early part
of the year, from the fact that Esarhaddon and the
Assyrians were employed in carrying away the ten
tribes out of their land, and placing foreigners in their
stead, in the same year, and before the invasion of
Judah. We find the history of this in 2 Kings, 17: 20 -
24. The prophecy concerning it, we find in Isa. 7: 8.
The date of this prophecy is B. C. 742. From this date
count the sixty-five years, and it brings us to B. C. 677.
In that year, in fulfilment of the prediction in Hos. 5:
5; Israel and Judah, were both broken. But as it must
necessarily require considerable time to remove the
ten tribes, and bring foreigners to fill their place we
cannot well date Manassahs captivity earlier than the
PAGE 8
autumn of that year. About one half, therefore, of the
Jewish year B. C. 677, must be left out of the
reckoning. This will necessarily extend the period of
the 2520 years, down to the autumn of A. D. 1844.
The 2300 days of Dan. 8, began with the 70
weeks B. C. 457. But they did not begin with the first
day of that year. It is true that Ezra began to go up
from Babylon on the first day of the first month. But
this was not in the year B. C. 457, but in the year B. C.
456. The seventh year of Artaxerxes, in which Ezra
went up, began, according to Dr. Hales analysis of
chronology in 457, and ended 456. It has been the
practice of chronologers, to count the years of the
reign of monarchs, by the year in which they began to
reign; making that their first year. Accordingly the
year B. C. 457, in which the seventh year of
Artaxerxes began, is counted as his seventh year.
Now it appears, from the best light we can obtain on
this point, that he began his reign in autumn. This
seventh year, then, must have commenced in the
autumn of B. C. 457. As it was in spring that Ezra left
Babylon and in the seventh year of the king, (See
Ezra 7;) it must have been the spring of B. C. 456 as
no other spring is embraced in the kings seventh year.
But this is not the point from which to date the 70
weeks. Thedecree to restore and to build Jerusalem,
must have issued from the king before this. From
Esther 2: 16; we learn that she was made queen in
the tenth month of the Jewish year, and in the
seventh year of the king. Now this could not have
been in the year B. C. 456, for his seventh year
expired before the tenth month of that year began. It
must therefore, have been in the year B. C. 457. At
that time a great feast was made, and a release to
the provinces; which, of course, embraced the Jews,
as they were the people of the queen. But this release
could not have been made without a previous decree.
The monarchs of Persia were the makers and
dispensers of the laws, which were absolute,
unchangeable. But in the account of this release,
nothing is said of any decree, or law, made at that
time. This was only the commencement of those acts
of the king, in which the decree was carried into
execution. It appears then, that the decree, from
which the seventy weeks and the 2300 days and to be
dated, must have been issued by the king, some little
time before the tenth month of the Jewish year, B. C.
457. From that time, according to Dan. 9: 25; there
were to be sixty-nine weeks, i. e. 483 years to the
appearing of Messiah. It has been thought by many,
that this period was fulfilled in A. D. 26. But this is a
mistake. It requires 457 and 26 entire years to make
483. But, as we have seen a part of B. C. 457, must be
left out of the reckoning. The time must, therefore, be
made up by the addition of a part of A. D. 27. The
fifteenth year of Tiberius, in which John began his
ministry, (see Luke 3: 1;) commenced in A. D. 26, and
corresponds to a part of 26, and a part of 27. In the
latter part, then of A. D. 26, or in the former part of A.
D. 27, John began his ministry. But it was after John
was imprisoned, that Jesus came into Galilee, saying,
The time is fulfilled. This must have been, I think,
in the autumn of A. D. 27. It is certain that it wasafter
the passover; as we may learn by comparing John 2:
23; 3:22 24, and 4: 43; with Mark 1: 14; 15. If then,
the 69 weeks ended in the autumn of A. D. 27, when
may we expect the 2300 days to end? The answer is
plain. Deduct 483 from 2300, and the remainder is
1817. So many years remained to be fulfilled in the
autumn of A. D. 27. Then add to that date, these 1817
years, and we see it brings us to the autumn of A. D.
1844.
As it respects the 1290 and 1335 days of Dan.
12: they must of course begin together the latter
ending with the 2300 in 1844. And as there is a
difference of only forty-five years between the two
periods, the 1290 days could not have ended in Feb.
1798, as forty-six years have passed since that time.
The periods must have begun in A. D. 509 the 1290
days terminating in 1799, with the commencement of
Napoleons career of blood and conquest,
3
(see Dan.
11: 40;) 1335 days, ending in the autumn of 1844.
But, beloved! the vision will speak and not
lie. Though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely
come, it will not tarry.
SAMUEL S. SNOW.
New York, Feb. 16, 1844.
3
The believers in the Second Advent faith, generally
understood that the events associated with the KING OF
THE NORTH in Daniel xi. 40-45, related to the upheaval
created by the French Revolution and the rise and military
adventures of Napoleon Bonaparte. Because they lived and
worked in the time before the rise of the 3
rd
Angels
Message, when the events of Daniel xi. 4045 are to
transpire, they could not correctly understand these
events. We certainly should not censure them in any way,
for not being able to correctly understand these verses of
Scripture.
PAGE 9
LETTER FROM S. S. SNOW THE MIDNIGHT CRY, JUNE 27, 1844: -
Dear Bro. Southard, - About the first of last
January I felt it my imperative duty to impart to the
world, and especially to the Advent band, the light
which my heavenly Father had given me, concerning
the termination of the prophetic periods. I had been
previously quite strong in the belief with Adventists
generally, that the 6000 years of this world or age
the 7 times of the Gentiles the 2300 days of Dan. 8,
and the 1335 days of Dan. 12, must end within the
Jewish year 1843.
4
I had preached accordingly. And
God had blessed my soul, and blessed my labors in so
doing. I still believe that I was then doing my Masters
will. It was necessary that a mistake should be made
in regard to the ending of the days, and that this
mistake should be general among the expectants of
the kingdom, in order that their faith might be tried;
and that a wicked world and a world-loving church
might have ample opportunity to manifest their
hatred to our blessed Lords appearing to mock, and
scoff, and harden themselves in their sin, and ripen
for their coming destruction. Had not such a mistake
been made, there are some prophecies which could
never have been completely fulfilled. Such for
instance as Ezek. 12: 22, Son of man, what is that
proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The
days are prolonged, and every vision faileth? Also,
Hab. 2: 2, 3, And the Lord answered me and said,
Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that
he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an
appointed time; but at the end it shall speak and not
lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely
come, it will not tarry.
5
4
The 1
st
Angels Message, which in reality, was the
proclamation of Jesus imminent 2
nd
Coming, at the
termination of the prophetic periods in the Jewish year
1843, was the first time of expectation held by the Advent
believers for theblessed hope to take place.
5
Br. Snow teaches that the Lord allowed the mistake as
generally held by Adventists concerning the ending of the
prophetic periods, in the Jewish year 1843. The Lord
designed this mistake to be a test for the faith of the
Advent believers, and to reveal the hatred of the world and
world-loving churches to the message of Jesus imminent
2
nd
Coming.
What is amazing about this letter from Br. Snow, is
that he has recognised the Lords allowing this mistake to
occur as a test, a number of years before the messenger of
the Lord was shown this truth in vision.
But our heavenly Father, in great kindness
and compassion to his people, has provided for this
emergency. He has not left us, at this critical and
trying time, without promises in his word,
constituting a firm, an immoveable foundation, on
which our hope and faith may fix, and never be
shaken. Of the class of passages contained in the
blessed book, that are peculiarly applicable to this
trying time, there is one particularly striking and
encouraging in the 51
st
chapter of Jeremiah, where
the prophet is speaking of the fall and destruction of
mystical Babylon, or Anti-christ, as shadowed forth in
the type, by the fate of old literal Babylon, in her
destruction by the Medes and Persians. In verse 45
God says, My people, go ye out of the midst of her,
and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce
anger of the Lord. Here we have the same call that is
made to the people of God, in Rev. 18: 4, Come out of
her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins,
and that ye receive not of her plagues. The merest
tyro in the interpretation of the prophetic scriptures
must see that these two passages are perfectly
parallel, and that they speak to the same point. And I
sincerely pity the man who will not see. Taking them
in connection with many other like passages, both in
the old Testament and in the New, we are shown
clearly that the last message which God sends to his
people, in this last end of time, is a command to
deliver themselves from mystical Babylon, i. e. to
come out and be entirely separate from all
1858 Great Controversy, pp. 137 & 138: - I saw the people
of God, joyful in expectation, looking for their Lord. But
God designed to prove them. His hand covered a mistake
in the reckoning of the prophetic periods. Those who
were looking for their Lord did not discover it, and the
most learned men who opposed the time also failed to
see the mistake. God designed that his people should
meet with a disappointment. The time passed, and those
who had looked with joyful expectation for their Saviour
were sad and disheartened, while those who had not loved
the appearing of Jesus, but embraced the message through
fear, were pleased that he did not come at the time of
expectation. Their profession had not affected their hearts,
and purified their lives. The passing of the time was well
calculated to reveal such hearts. They were the first to turn
and ridicule the sorrowful,
disappointed ones, who really loved the appearing of their
Saviour. I saw the wisdom of God in proving his people,
and giving them a searching test to discover those who
would shrink and turn back in the hour of trial. {1SG
137.1}(Emphasis supplied.)
PAGE 10
connection and fellowship with corrupt, apostate
Christendom. AndGods people will obey that call.
After thus commanding his people, in verse
45, to go out of Babylon, he proceeds, in verse 46, to
give them a precious word of caution and
encouragement. And lest, your heart faint, and ye
fear for the rumor that shall be heard in the land; a
rumor shall both come one year, and after that there
shall come in another year a rumor, and violence in
the land, ruler against ruler. What is the rumor here
spoken of? It is the Advent message. And what is the
first year of the message? It is the Jewish year 1843.
As God foresaw the passing by of that year of the
rumor, he saw it necessary, lest the hearts of his
people should faint and be fearful, to forewarn them
that there should come another message, and in
another year, after the first.
This was clearly unfolded to me, who am least
of all the saints, before the passing by of the first year
of the rumor. I felt it my indispensible duty to
proclaim to the world and to the dear brethren and
sisters of the Advent, that the periods could not
terminate before the seventh month of the Jewish
sacred year in A. D. 1844. I could not rest unless I
proclaimed this truth. I therefore prepared a brief
article, setting forth some of the reasons for these
views, which was published in the Cry of the 22d of
last February
6
; and subsequently in the Advent
Herald.
SAML. S. SNOW.
Worcester, Mass, June 22.
6
Br. Snow is referring to the previous article in this Study
Document.
PAGE 11
IN THE MIDST OF THE WEEK. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, JUNE 27, 1844 BY
C. S. M. : -
IN THE MIDST OF THE WEEK.
The prophetic period of 2300 days, is a
fundamental point, on which rests the unshaken faith
of many waiting hearts. The seventy weeks is the clue
of its commencement, and the cross of Christ the
immovable seal that fixes its tangible position
independent of the starting point. We understand,
that as surely as the seal was set in blood, at the
cutting off of the seventy weeks (or 490 years) from
the vision, so surely the closing glory of his final
coming, will cleanse and restore his sanctuary at the
end of the days, for at the time appointed the end
shall be. We know assuredly that we are NEAR the
fulness of the time, and as knowledge is to be
increased, and the Lord will do nothing, but he
revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets, it
is our duty and privilege to seek and know his
revealed will. We are admonished by the Lord not to
be slow of heart to believe ALL that the prophets
have spoken, and also, if any lack wisdom, to ask God,
who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not,
and it shall be given him. There has been much said
and written concerning the time in the year in which
the decree to restore and build Jerusalem was given,
and as it takes the whole of the year 457, B. C. (the
starting point of the vision, as generally
acknowledged by Adventists) and 1843 after Christ,
to make the full number, 2300, it becomes a matter of
deep interest, now that the remaining portion of time
is fast wearing away, to understand something more
definite concerning it, for we confidently believe that
God has appointed, or made known, a day in which he
will judge the world. We would then, independent of
the question of early data, consider the events that
mark the close of the weeks that are cut off, for if we
can discover at what time in the year they ended, it
may throw some light upon the time of the closing of
the vision. In the first place, seven weeks are fulfilled,
in the building of the streets and walls of Jerusalem in
troublous times. Then three score and two weeks
more reach unto the manifestation of Messiah the
Prince. After these he is cut off in the MIDST of the
last week of the seventy, causing the sacrifice and
oblation to cease forever. With the simple and true
understanding of an unprejudiced mind, relying on
the primitive meaning of this word, according to an
excellent and established English version, we at once
perceive that the midst or middle of the week must
be a point between two halves, or after the first half.
Now there are sevenyears in a prophetic week, and
these divided in the midst must necessarily divide
the fourth year in two parts. In this point stands the
cross. Then if we can ascertain what time in the
current year our Lord was crucified, it will
demonstrate that the year, according to the vision,
commenced six months previous, and ended as much
later. Surely it is established beyond controversy, that
Christ the antitype of the Paschal Lamb, was offered
on the 14
th
day of the first month of Jewish time,
which corresponds to a point, somewhat later in
April. This shows that the prophetic year in which the
crucifixion took place, commenced and closed in
autumn, and if this decides the time in the year, in
which one of the years of the vision terminated, the
rest will assuredly correspond. We therefore now
understand that as surely as the seventy weeks are a
part of the vision of 2300 days, and our Saviour
suffered death in the spring in the middle of the year,
the MIDST of one of the weeks, so surely the whole
period will terminate in the autumn of the current
year, we would therefore lift up our heads and rejoice
for our redemption draweth nigh.
C. S. M.
7
7
The compiler believes the initials C. S. M. stand for an
Adventist sister by the name of C. S. Minor. He cannot be
100 % sure on this point, as the initials are the only
identifying marks we are given concerning the author in
The Midnight Cry.
PAGE 12
CONFIRMING THE COVENANT. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, JULY 18, 1844 BY
S. S. SNOW: -
CONFIRMING THE COVENANT.
DEAR BRO. SOUTHARD: - I propose to say a
few words, through the columns of the Cry,
concerning the week of the confirmation of the
covenant. When I have presented my views, with the
reasons for them, let them be tested by the word of
the Lord, and if then found to be unsound, let them be
condemned and rejected, but not before. The angel
Gabriel says in Dan. ix. 27, And he shall confirm the
covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of
the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation
to cease, &c. The pronoun he in this passage, refers
to the Messiah, spoken of in verses 25 and 26. It is
declared, then, that the Messiah shall confirm the
covenant with many for one week. The question now
arises, What is it to confirm the covenant? I answer, it
is to establish the Gospel. In proving this, it will be
necessary, first, to inquire what is meant by the term
covenant. It must be either the Jewish law or the
gospel, as fully appears from Gal. iv. 22 26, For it is
written, that Abraham had two sons: the one by a
bond-maid, the other by a free-woman. But he who
was of the bond-woman was born after the flesh; but
he of the free-woman by promise. Which things are
an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one
from mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage,
which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia,
and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in
bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is
above is free, which is the mother of us all. Here we
have the old covenant and the new the law and the
gospel. One is by Moses, the other by Christ. One
relates to mount Sinai, the other to mount Sion. See
Heb. xii. 18 24. Now which of these did Messiah
come to confirm? Certainly not the former, as is
abundantly proved by the testimony of Paul in Rom.
vi. 14, For ye are not under the law, but under
grace. And in Rom. x. 4, For Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Also in Gal. iii. 24, 25, Wherefore the law was our
school-master to bring us unto Christ, that we might
be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we
are no longer under a school-master.
8
It must
8
Br. Snow does not distinguish in this part of his article between
the Law of shadows and ceremonies given to Moses on Mount
Sinai, which was indeed abolished by the death of the Messiah,;
and the Moral Law of 10 Commandments, that was NOT
abolished by the death of the Messiah.
therefore be the Gospel, which Messiah confirmed.
But how was it confirmed? I answer, to confirm a
thing is toestablish it on afirm foundation. And what
is the foundation of the faith and hope of the gospel,
on which the church of God is built? It is Jesus and the
resurrection. See Eph. ii. 20. How was the gospel
established on this foundation? By testimony, and
that testimony accompanied by miracles. John v. 31,
36, If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not
true, i. e. not valid. But I have greater witness than
that of John for the works which the Father hath
given to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness
of me that the Father hath sent me. It was necessary
that this testimony of Christ concerning himself,
should be accompanied, not only by the testimony of
the Father (see John v. 37 and viii. 17, 18,) but also
that it should be confirmed by publicly- wrought
mighty works, or miracles. But this kind of proof was
not confined to the personal ministry of Christ, as
appears fully evident from Heb. ii. 3, 4, How shall we
escape if we neglect so great salvation; which at the
first BEGAN to be spoken by the Lord, and was
CONFIRMED unto us by them who heard him. God
also bearing witness both with signs and divers
miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his
own will. The apostles of Christ had a special work
assigned them, to which they were chosen, and for
which they were duly qualified; viz. to testify to the
fact of his resurrection. It was not to them a matter of
faith that Christ had risen from the dead, but a
matter of fact. By their testimony to this glorious fact,
and the miracles which they wrought in confirmation
of the truth of this testimony, they were co-workers
with God and with Christ, in laying the immovable
foundation, on which rests the faith and hope of all
Gods children. The work of confirming the covenant,
therefore, by testimony accompanied by miracles,
was not confined to our Lords personal ministry, but
was performed first by him, and then by his apostles,
while he, by the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit
wrought with them. In further proof that they were
special witnesses, both of the mighty works of Christ
and of his resurrection, let us take just his own
declaration in Luke xxiv. 46 48, And said unto
them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to
suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day: and
that repentance and remission of sins should be
preached in his name among all nations, beginning at
Jerusalem. And we are WITNESSES of these things.
And then the testimony of Peter, Acts i. 21, 22,
PAGE 13
Wherefore of these men which have companied with
us, all the time then the Lord Jesus went in and out
among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto
that same day that he was taken up from us, must one
be ordained to be with us a witness of his
resurrection. Also, in chap. ii. 32, This Jesus hath
God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. And
also in chapter iii. 15, And killed the Prince of life,
whom God hath raised from the dead, whereof we are
witnesses. Again, in chapter x. 39 41, And we are
witnesses of all things which he did, both in the land
of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and
hanged on a tree: him God raised up the third day and
showed him openly: not to all the people, but unto
witnesses chosen before God, even to us who did eat
and drink with him after he rose from the dead. Paul
also declares in 1 Cor. xv. 8, Andlast of all he was
seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. From
theconnection between this verse and the 9
th
, we see
clearly that the apostles were qualified to their
apostolic work, by having been eye-witnesses to the
fundamental fact of the resurrection of Christ.
Therefore, when the last of these witnesses was thus
qualified, and had commenced his testimony,
accompanied by those miraculous proofs which were
indispensably necessary, the Gospel as a divine
system was established on its true foundation. In
other words, the covenant was confirmed. More on
the same subject in my next.
9
Thine in the hope. S. S. SNOW.
Worcester, Mass., June 29.
9
The article that Br. Snow is referring to appeared in The
Midnight Cry, August 22, 1844, under the title
PROPHETIC CHRONOLOGY. As a lot of the material
contained within that article is found in his more detailed
pamphlet The True Midnight Cry, dated August 22,
1844, which is the next article in this Study Document, this
smaller Midnight Cry article has not been reproduced.
PAGE 14
THE TRUE MIDNIGHT CRY AUGUST 22, 1844 - EDITED BY S. S. SNOW: -
Our blessed Lord and Master has promised
that he will come again and receive his people to
himself; that where he is, they may be also. The place
where he and they are to dwell forever, is the New
Jerusalem, that holy city, which God hath prepared
for them, and which is tocome down from God out of
heaven, and that New Earth, wherein dwelleth
righteousness.
Concerning the time of that coming, he says,
in Mark xiii. 32, But of that day and hour knoweth no
man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither
the Son, but the Father. It is thought by many, that
this passage proves that men are never to know the
time. But if it proves this, it likewise proves that the
Son of God himself is never to know the time: for the
passage declares precisely the same concerning him,
that it does concerning angels and men. But can any
person believe that our glorious Lord, to whom all
power in heaven and earth is given, is, and will
remain, ignorant of the time until the very moment
that he comes to judge the world? If not, then
certainly this text can never prove that men may not
be made to understand the time. An old English
version of the passage reads, But that day and hour
no man maketh known, neither the angels which are
in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. This is the
correct reading according to several of the ablest
critics of the age. The word know is used here in the
same sense as it is by Paul in 1 Cor. ii. 2. Paul well
understood many other things, besides Christ and
him crucified, but he determined to make known
nothing else among them. So in the passage first
quoted, it is declared that none but God the Father
maketh known the day and hour, that is, the definite
time of the second coming of his Son. And this
necessarily implies that God makes the time known.
The Old Testament contains the testimony of the
Father concerning his Son, and concerning thetime of
both his first and second comings. Therefore the time
is to be understood. See Dan. xii. 10, Many shall be
purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked
shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall
understand; but the wise shall understand. Rom. xv.
4, For whatsoever things were written aforetime
were written for our learning, that we through
patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have
hope.It is by the teaching of his word, as we are led
therein by the Holy Spirit, that we are to understand
the time of the coming of our GLORIOUS KING. As
further proof of this, see Dan. ix. 25, Know therefore
and understand, that from the going forth of the
commandment, to restore and build Jerusalem, unto
the Messiah, the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and
threescore and two weeks. Mark i. 14, 15, Now after
that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee,
preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and
saying thetime is fulfilled. Luke xix. 43, 44, For the
day shall come upon thee that thine enemies shall
cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round and
keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even
with the ground, and thy children within thee, and
they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another;
because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
1 Pet. i. 9 - 11, Searching what, or what manner of
time the spirit of Christ, which was in them, did
signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of
Christ, and the glory that should follow. Isa. xl. 1 - 5;
Acts xvii. 30, 31, He hath appointed a day in the
which he will judge the world in righteousness. Ecc.
iii. 17, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked;
for there is a time there for every purpose and for
every work. Ecc. viii. 5 - 7, Whoso keepeth the
commandment shall feel no evil thing; and a wise
man's heart discerneth both time and judgment. Jer.
viii. 6- 9, I hearkened and heard, but they spoke not
aright; no man repented him of his wickedness,
saying, what have I done? every one turned to his
course as the horse rusheth into the battle. Yea, the
stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times;
and the turtle, and crane, and the swallow, observe
the time of their coming; but my people know not the
judgment of the LORD. How do ye say, we are wise,
and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo certainly in
vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. The
wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken;
lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and
what wisdom is in them? Hosea ix. 7- 9, The days of
visitation are come, the days of recompense are
come; Israel shall know it. The prophet is a fool, the
spiritual man is mad. Rom. xiii. 11 - 14, And that
knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake
out of sleep.
THE SIX THOUSAND YEARS. The period of
time allotted for this world, in its present state, is
PAGE 15
6000 years, at the termination of which commences
the great millennial Sabbath, spoken of inRev. xx, and
which will be ushered in by the personal appearing of
Christ and the first Resurrection; see Isa. xlvi. 9, 10;
Gen. ii. 1 - 3; Heb. iv. 4 - 9; Isa. xi. 10; 2 Pet. iii. 8.
According to Ushers chronology, which is commonly
received, the Christian Era commenced in the year of
the world 4004; but Usher has lost in the time of the
judges 153 years. From the division of the Land of
Canaan to the beginning of Samuels administration,
he gives but 295 years: whereas Paul, in Acts xiii. 20,
gives us about the space of 450. From the book of
Judges we obtain 430 years, and Josephus gives us 18
more for the elders and anarchy, before any judge
ruled; this added to 430 make 448 which agrees with
Paul, supposing him to have spoken in round
numbers. The difference between this time and that
given by Usher is 153 years, and should be added to
the age of the world, making for the commencement
of the Christian era 4157, or, in other words, 4156
and a fraction had passed at the supposed point of
the birth of Christ. Deducting this from 6000 years,
the remainder is 1843 and a fraction. Therefore the
period will endwithin A. D. 1844.
THE SEVEN TIMES OF THE GENTILES. The
seven times of Gentile domination over the church of
God, spoken of in Lev. xxvi., began with the breaking
of the pride of their power, at the captivity of
Manasseh, king of Judah, B. C. 677. See Isa. x. 5 - 12;
Jer. xv. 3- 9; Jer. l. 17; 2 Chron. xxxiii. 9- 11. This
is the date assigned by all chronologers for that
event. The seven prophetic times amount to 2520
years. As proof of this, see Rev. xii 6, 14, where 3 1-2
times are equivalent to 1260 years. A time therefore
consists of 360 solar years, which multiplied by 7,
make 2520. Had this period commenced with the first
day of B. C. 677, it would have terminated with the
first day of A. D. 1844, for 677 full years on one hand,
and 1843 on the other, make 2520 complete years. It
has been supposed that the period would end in A. D.
1843. But as a part of B. C. 677 is left out, a
corresponding part of A. D. 1844 must be taken in to
make the period complete. It must have been in
autumn that Manasseh was taken captive. As proof of
this, see Hosea v. 5; Isa. vii. 8; Isa. x. 11. Hosea
declares that Ephraim and Israel shall fall, and that
Judah also shall fall with them; Isaiah represents the
king of Assyria as threatening to do to Jerusalem as
he had done to Samaria; therefore the final carrying
away of the ten tribes was before the invasion of
Judah, and in the same year. The prophecy of Isa. vii.
8, is correctly dated B. C. 742; 65 years from that
point bring us to B. C. 677. In that year was the final
breaking of Ephraim, that it should not be a people.
The history of this we find in 2 Kings, xvii. chapt.
Kings did not go forth on their warlike expeditions in
autumn or winter, but in spring or summer.
Therefore in spring or summer of B. C. 677,
Esarhaddon, and the Assyrians commenced removing
the remnant of the ten tribes out of the cities of
Samaria; and when they had accomplished this, they
brought foreigners and placed them in their stead, to
inhabit those cities. Having performed this work,
which necessarily occupied some months, they were
then ready to invade Judah. So that in the autumn of
B. C. 677 they took the city of Jerusalem, and bound
her king with fetters and carried him to Babylon.
From that time 2520 years reach to the autumn of A.
D. 1844. Then the times of the Gentiles will be
fulfilled, the dispensation of the fullness of times will
come, the Redeemer will come to Zion, and all Israel
shall be saved.
THE 2300 DAYS. The 2300 days of Dan. viii.
14, are given as the length of the vision contained in
that chapter. The Ram is Medo Persia, the Goat is
Grecia, and the little horn which waxed exceeding
great is Rome. From the 2
nd
and 7
th
chapters of Dan.
we learn that Rome will come to its end when the
Ancient of days comes, the judgment is set, the Son of
man comes in the clouds of heaven, and the God of
heaven sets up an eternal kingdom. Therefore the
2300 days, which extend to the time when the
exceeding great horn is to be broken without hands,
and to the last end of the indignation are so many
years, and expire at the coming of Jesus in theClouds
of Glory. The period commenced with the 70 weeks of
Dan. ix. 24, which are determined or cut off, and
constitute a part of the 2300 days. They must
therefore commence together. From verse 25, we
learn that they begin at the going forth of the
commandment or decree to restore and to build
Jerusalem. The point of time from which to reckon,
must be either when the decree was first issued or
when it was carried into execution; it could not be the
former, because the decree embraces all that was
decreed by Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings of
Persia. See Isa. xliv. 28; Isa. xlv. 13; 2 Chron. xxxvi. 22,
23; Ezra i. 1 - 4; Ezra vi. 1 - 15; Ezra vii. The decree
embraces three grand objects: the building of the
Temple, the restoring of the Jewish Commonwealth,
PAGE 16
and the building of the street and wall. Now had the
70 weeks, which amount to 490 years, commenced
with the first issuing of the decree, B. C. 536, they
would have ended B. C. 46; but 69 weeks were to
extend to the manifestation of Messiah the Prince,
and the 70
th
, or last week, covers the time of his
crucifixion; we must therefore of necessity reckon
from the other point, that is, the promulgation and
execution of the decree in Judea. From Ezra vii. 8, 9,
we learn that Ezra began to go up on the first day of
the first month, and arrived at Jerusalem on the first
day of the fifthmonth, in the 7
th
year of Artaxerxes, B.
C. 457. Having arrived at Jerusalem, he appointed
magistrates and judges, and restored the Jewish
Commonwealth, under the protection of the king of
Persia, as he was fully authorized to do by the decree
of Artaxerxes. This necessarily required some little
time, and brings us to the point when, the restoring
having been effected, the building of the street and
wall commenced. The 70 weeks are divided into
three parts: 7 weeks, 62 weeks, and 1 week see Dan.
ix. 25. The connexion shows that the 7 weeks were
allotted for the building of the street and wall. They
therefore commenced when they began to build, in
the autumn of B. C. 457; from that point 2300 years
reach to the autumn of A. D. 1844.
THE SEVENTY WEEKS. The 69 weeks extend
to the manifestation of the Messiah. It has been
thought by many that this was at his baptism, but this
is a mistake; as fully appears from John i. 19 - 34.
There we learn, that after the baptism of Christ, he
was not known to the Jews as the Messiah; John says,
verse 26, There standeth one among you whom ye
know not; and in verse 33, 34, he declares that he
knew him not, till he saw the Spirit descending and
remaining on him at his baptism, which was previous
to his giving this testimony. There is no proof that
any one save John saw the Spirit thus descending.
This proof therefore that Jesus was the Messiah, was
given to none but John, unless it was given to others
in Johns testimony. But the testimony of John was
not sufficient fully to establish the point; for Jesus
declares, John v. 33, 34, Ye sent unto John, and he
bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not
testimony from man In verse 36, Christ says, But I
have greater witness than that of John; for the works
which the Father hath given me to finish, the same
works that I do bear witness of me, that the Father
hath sent me. The miracles of Christ proved him to
be the Messiah; but even his own testimony without
those miracles was not sufficient to establish the
point, as isevident from verse 31: If I bear witness of
myself, my witness is not true. The miracles of Christ
publicly wrought, did not commence till after John
was put in prison see Mat. xi. 2- 6; Luke vii. 19- 23
The prophecy of Dan. ix. 25 concerning the69 weeks,
was intended for the whole Jewish nation; and they
were condemned because they understood it not. In
Luke xix. 43, 44, we find our Lord denouncing upon
them the most awful judgments because they knew
not the TIME of their visitation. The prophecy was
plain, and they should have heeded it. Our Saviour,
also told them plainly when the period ended, saying.
THE TIME IS FULFILLED. See Mark i. 14, 15; Matt.
iv. 12, 17; Acts x. 37; thus we see that the 69 weeks
ended, and the 70
th
week began, soon after Johns
imprisonment. John began his ministry in the
fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar see Luke iii. 1 - 3.
The administration of Tiberius began, according to
the united testimony of chronologers, in Aug., A. D.
12. Fourteen years from that point, extend to Aug. A.
D. 26, when his 15
th
year began. The ministry of John,
therefore, commenced in the latter part of A. D. 26.
From Luke iii. 21, we learn that after John had been
baptizing for some time, Jesus came and was
baptized; and verse 23 informs us that at that time he
was not far from 30 years of age. It is astronomically
proved that our Saviour was born four years before
the Christian era. The proof is this. About the year
527, Dionysius Exigus, a Roman monk, fixed the
beginning of the Christian era in the year of the Julian
period 4713. This reckoning has been followed to the
present time. But Josephus, in his Antiquities, Book
17, chapt. 6, mentions particularly an eclipse of the
moon, which occurred a short time before the death
of Herod; and the astronomical tables prove this
eclipse to have been on the 13
th
of March, in the year
of the Julian period 4710. Our Lord was born some
months previous to this; for after his birth Herod
sought to destroy his life, and Joseph, being warned
by the angel of the Lord in a dream, took the young
child and his mother, and went into Egypt, where he
remained till after Herods death see Matt. ii. 13 -
15. The latest point, therefore, that we can fix upon
for the birth of Christ, is near the close of the year
4709, just four years earlier than the point of time
given by Dionysius for the commencement of the
Christian era. Consequently, Jesus was 30 years of age
near the close of A. D. 26, and at his baptism was a
little more than 30. Soon after this, as is evident from
John ii. 11 - 13, there was a passover. This, being the
first Passover after the beginning of Johns baptism,
must have been in the spring of A. D. 27. After this
PAGE 17
Jesus had his interview with Nicodemus and taught
him concerning regeneration see John iii. 1 - 21. In
verse 22 we are informed that Jesus returned, after
these things, into the land of Judea, where he tarried
and baptized. As he had previously been in Jerusalem
at the Passover see John ii. 23 and now returned
into Judea, he must have been absent from that land
between these two points of time. This necessarily
brings us down to the summer or autumn of A. D. 27.
But John was not yet cast into prison see John iii.
24. We are therefore compelled to place the point of
time at which Jesus began the proclamation of the
gospel in Galilee, in the autumn of A. D. 27. Here
ended the 69 weeks, and here began the week, during
which the covenant was confirmed see Dan. ix. 27.
In the midst of the week Jesus caused the sacrifice
and the oblation to cease by offering himself as a
Lamb, without spot, to God upon the cross. The
Hebrew word translated midst, is by the Lexicon
defined, half, half part, middle, midst. The week was
divided into two halves, and the event which was
thus to divide it was the death of Christ. This event
took place, according to Dr. Hales, one of the ablest
and best chronologers, in the spring of A. D. 31.
Ferguson has placed it in A. D. 33; but in order to
prove it he assumes the Rabbinical mode of
reckoning the year, which is not correct. They
commence the year with the new moon in March; but
the Caraites with the new moon in April. The word
Caraite signifies one perfect in the law. These
accuse the Rabbins of having departed from the law,
and conformed to the customs of the heathen; and
the charge is just, as they regulate their year by the
vernal equinox, in imitation of the Romans; whereas
the law says nothing of the vernal equinox; but
required, on the 16
th
day of the first month, the
offering of the first fruits of the barley harvest. But if
the year be commenced according to the Rabbins
with the new moon in March, the barley harvest
could not possibly be ripe in 16 days from that time.
The Caraites are therefore undoubtedly correct. Now
our Lord was crucified on the day of the Passover, as
is evident from John xviii. 28. It was likewise the day
before the Sabbath, as is proved by John xix. 31.
According to the Rabbinical reckoning, the Passover
occurred on the day before the Sabbath in A. D. 33,
and not for several years before and after. But
according to the Caraite reckoning, the Passover
occurred on that day in A. D. 31. Therefore that was
the year of the crucifixion. The covenant was
confirmed half a week by Christ, and the other half by
his apostles seeHeb. ii. 3, 4: How shall we escape if
we neglect so great salvation, which at the first
BEGAN to be spoken by the Lord, and was
CONFIRMED unto us by them that heard him; God
also bearing them witness, both with signs and
wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the
Holy Ghost according to his own will? The covenant
which was confirmed is the new covenant, i. e. the
gospel To confirm it signifies to establish it on a firm
foundation. The foundation of the gospel, is JESUS
AND THE RESURRECTION see Acts xvii 18; 1 Cor.
iii. 9 -11; Eph. ii. 20. The gospel was established on
this foundation by testimony, accompanied by
miracles, as those proofs which were indispensably
necessary. But John performedno miracles see John
x. 41, therefore Johns ministry formed no part of the
confirmation. God wrought through Christ in those
mighty works, for half the week, and through the
apostles the other half, who had a special work
assigned to them, and for which they were duly
qualified, and that was to testify concerning the
works and Resurrection of our Lord see Luke i. 2;
John xv. 27; Luke xxiv. 48; Acts i. 8, 21, 22; ii. 32; iii.
15; x. 36, 42; 1 John i. 1, 3. All these witnesses save
one wereregularly called and qualified, having been
with Christ fromthe beginning of his ministry, after
the imprisonment of John. But when Paul was
converted, and received his dispensation of the
gospel to the gentiles, a special witness was called
upon the stand.
These all testified to the one glorious,
fundamental fact, that Jesus Christ had risen from the
dead. Gal. i. 10- 12; 1 Cor. xv. 1- 9. It was not with the
apostles a matter of faith that Christ had risen, but a
matter of knowledge. They had seen, handled, and
conversed with him, they had eaten and drunken
with him after his resurrection, and had received
from him a command to testify to these things. By so
doing they confirmed the covenant, or, in other
words, established the gospel, upon the resurrection
of Christ, which is the foundation of the faith and
hope of all Gods children. But this testimony alone
was not sufficient to establish the fact that Jesus had
risen from the dead. Therefore we are told, Mark xvi.
20, And they went forth, and preached every where,
the Lord working with them, and CONFIRMING the
word by signs following. See also Heb. ii. 3, 4. When
the last witness, that is Paul, had been called, and had
given his testimony, confirmed by miracles, the
gospel as a divine system of faith, hope, and love was
PAGE 18
established on its true foundation; in other words,
the covenant was confirmed. Paul was converted in
the autumn of A. D. 34. As Jesus Christ was crucified
in the midst or middle of the week, and on the day of
the Passover, which was the fourteenth day of the
first month, it follows that the week began in the 7
th
month of A. D. 27, and ended in the 7
th
month of A. D.
34. This was the termination of the seventy weeks.
From that point, 1810 years remained to the end of
the 2300 days. And from the 7
th
month of A. D. 34,
1810 years extend to the7
th
month of A. D. 1844.
10
THE TYPES. - The Law of Moses contained a
shadow of good things to come; a system of figures or
types pointing to Christ and his kingdom. See Heb. x.
1; Col. ii. 16, 17. Everything contained in the law was
to be fulfilled by him. In Matt. v. 17, 18, Jesus says,
Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the
prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For
verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one
jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till
all be fulfilled. Our Lord at his first coming, when he
died on the cross, began the fulfilment of those types
contained in the law; as our great High Priest he is
still fulfilling them; and when he comes the second
time, he will complete their fulfilment. Not the least
point will fail, either in the substance shadowed forth,
or in the time so definitely pointed out for the
observance of the types. For God is an exact time
keeper. See Acts xvii. 26, 31; Job xxiv. 1; Lev. xxiii. 4,
37. These passages show that TIME is an important
point in the law of the Lord; therefore type and
antitype must correspond exactly as it regards time.
One type fulfilled in Christ, was the killing of the
10
Previous to the commencement of the True Midnight
Cry Movement under the power of the Holy Spirit, in the
middle of the tarrying time of 1844, it was generally
taught by William Miller and his associates, that the 70
weeks of Daniel ix, ended at the crucifixion of Christ in A.
D. 33. It was the research of Bro. Snow and others that
corrected this teaching of Millers, and led to the general
acceptance of the truth, that Jesus was crucified in the
middle of the 70
th
week, in the spring of A. D. 31; and that
the 70 weeks thus ended in the autumn of A. D. 34. This
revised prophetic chronology that Br. Snow had a leading
part in bringing out, was one of the foundational truths
that gave rise to the 7
th
Month Movement.
Passover lamb. This was slain on the 14
th
day of the
first month. See Lev. xxiii. 5. From Ex. xii. 6, we learn
that the lamb was killed in the evening. The margin
gives the literal rendering from the Hebrew,
between the two evenings. Joseph Frey, a converted
Jew, in his work on the Passover, says the afternoon
or evening of the day was by them divided into two
parts, the lesser or former evening and the greater or
latter evening. The dividing point between the two
was three in the afternoon, the ninth hour of the day.
Jesus died on the cross, on the same day, and at the
same hour. See mark xv. 33 - 37. Thus Christ our
Passover was sacrificed for us. Not one point of the
law failed here. Time was most strictly regarded. In
Lev. xxiii. 6, 7, we are informed that the day after the
Passover was to be a special Sabbath; and in verses
10 and 11, is a command to offer the first fruits of the
harvest on the morrow after the Sabbath. This was a
type of the resurrection of Christ. And on the same
day, that is, the day after the Sabbath, he burst the
bonds of the tomb, and arose triumphant, the sample
of the future harvest, the FIRST FRUITS of them that
slept. See 1 Cor. xv. 20- 23. Again, in Lev. xxiii. 15, 16,
we have the time of the feast of weeks, or, as it is
called, the Pentecost, which signifies the fiftieth day.
This was the anniversary of the Lords descent on
mount Sinai at the giving of the law: and was fulfilled,
as we learn from Acts ii. 1 - 4, when the Holy Spirit
descended as a rushing mighty wind, and as cloven
tongues of fire, by which the apostles were endued
with power from on high, qualifying them to go forth
and execute the great commission which the Master
had given them, to preach the gospel to every
creature.
Thus we see that those types that pointed to
events connected with our Lords first coming, were
fulfilled exactly at the time of their observance. And
every one who is not willingly blind must see, and
feel too, that those which remain unfulfilled, will be
fulfilled with anequally strict regard to time. Not only
so, but Christ himself confirms this argument from
analogy by saying that one jot or tittle shall in no wise
pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Those types
PAGE 19
which were to be observed in the 7
th
month, have
never yet had their fulfilment in the antitype.
On the first day of that month, as we learn
from Lev. xxiii. 23 - 25, was the memorial of blowing
of trumpets. See Ps. lxxxi. 3: Blow up the trumpet in
the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn
feast day. See also Rev. x. 7: But in the days of the
voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to
sound, the mystery of God shall be finished, as he
hath declared to his servants the prophets. On the
first day of the 7
th
month, 6000 years being complete,
from the first day of the week of creation, the great
millennial Sabbath will be introduced, by the
sounding of the seventh trumpet. Another type is
given in Lev. xxiii. 26 -32, that is, the day of
atonement or reconciliation, on the tenth day of the
7
th
month, in which the high priest went into the most
holy place of the tabernacle, presenting the blood of
the victim before the mercy-seat, after which on the
same day he came out and blessed the waiting
congregation of Israel. See Lev. ix. 7, 22, 23, 24, and
Lev. 16
th
chap.; Heb. v. 1- 6, and ix. 1- 12, 27, 28. Now
theimportant point in this type is thecompletion of
the reconciliation at thecoming of the high priest out
of the holy place. The high priest was a type of Jesus
our High Priest; the most holy place a type of heaven
itself; and the coming out of the high priest a type of
the coming of Jesus the second time to bless his
waiting people. As this was on the tenth day of the 7
th
month, so on that day Jesus will certainly come,
because not a single point of the law is to fail.
11
All
11
Throughout this Study Document the teaching
concerning the typical High Priest coming out of the
Sanctuary on the 10
th
day of the 7
th
month, to bless the
waiting people of Israel, being a type of the 2
nd
Coming of
Jesus, is repeated a number of times by the various
Adventist writers. This misconception was the
foundational mistake which the Adventists made in
expecting Jesus to return to this earth on October 22, 1844.
The Adventists not having a clear conception of a two
apartment Heavenly Sanctuary, with its respective two
distinct Highly Priestly ministrations by Christ, assumed
that Jesus had been ministering within the Holy of Holies
since his ascension, and therefore, he would come out of
the Holy of Holies on October 22, 1844, and bless his
must be fulfilled. The feast of tabernacles, which
began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, (see
Lev. xxiii. 33- 43,) was a type of the marriage supper
of the Lamb; which will be celebrated in the New
Jerusalem, the tabernacle of God which is to be with
men. In Lev. xxv. 8 - 13, 23, 24, we find that on the
tenth day of the seventh month, in the fiftieth year,
the jubilee trumpet was always to be blown, and
redemption granted to all the land. Let any man read
carefully the connection of this subject, and he must
surely see that this is a most striking type of the
glorious deliverance of the people of God, and of the
whole creation which is now groaning under the
curse, when the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and
accomplish the redemption of the bodies of all his
saints, and the redemption of the purchased
possession. See Rom. viii. 19 - 23; Eph. i. 9 - 14. Our
blessed Lord will therefore come, to the
astonishment of all them that dwell upon the earth,
and to the salvation of those who truly look for him,
on thetenth day of theseventh month of theyear of
jubilee: and that is thepresent year, 1844.
If they hear not MOSES and the PROPHETS,
neither will they be persuaded although one rose
from the dead.
12
waiting people with salvation as he returned to this earth
the second time.
12
This article by Br. Snow appeared several times in
Adventist Periodicals, leadingup to the date of October 22,
1844 when Christs 2
nd
Coming was expected to take place.
PAGE 20
CONFERENCE AT URBANA, OHIO. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, SEPTEMBER 5,
1844 BY BROTHER GILLETT: -
CONFERENCE AT URBANA, OHIO.
Dear Brother: - According to notice in the Cry,
our Conference assembled the 16
th
, 17
th
, and 18
th
of
August, under the auspicies of Providence. The
weather was fine; the Macedonian cry come over
and help us has been heard, and the brethren round
about and for a distance came together in fine spirits,
full of faith and the Holy Ghost Although
disappointed in some speakers, yet we have not been
disappointed of a blessing. Two ministering brethren
were present, who took part in the services of the
house, and of the grove. Though not fully Adventists
we expect they soon will be. During the conference
the preaching has been pointed, and by the Spirit
made quick and powerful. Especially on Saturday
and Sabbath.
13
I never witnessed such manifestations
and struggles for sanctifying grace. The Spirit did
truly take the things of God and show them unto us,
and we were made to sit together in heavenly places
in Christ Jesus. On the Sabbath the audience was
large, composed of almost all characters, and the
power of grace divine was displayed. Towards the
close of my description of the cleansing of the
sanctuary, the glory and terror soon to be revealed at
the old churchyard, while the band of music shall be
sounding through the air, an electric shock of the
Holy Ghost fell upon us. Gods people shouted aloud
for joy, and a prayer for holiness ascended, the
cleansing influence of the spirit descended. Sinners
wept, backsliders were alarmed, the luke warm
stirred up, the abandoned convicted, sadness was
depicted on the countenanceof the ungodly, smiles lit
up the face of the saints. In short, the power and
blessing of God rested upon every heart, I trust not to
be erased or forgotten.
14
I believe God has been
13
The writer of this article has misapplied the Biblical
termthe Sabbath to the first day of the week, instead of
to the seventh-day Saturday Sabbath as used by the
inspired writers of the Bible. This was a common mistake
made by many of the Adventist writers during the Advent
Movement of 1840 1844.
14
This article highlights for us the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit that was taking place among the Adventist brethren
during the Midnight Cry movement.
glorified, the truth magnified, his people comforted
and strengthened, and good will result from this
conference in eternity, and the fruits be gathered
with rejoicing at the end of time. And unto God shall
be the praise through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
Amen.
Yours in behalf of the brethren.
CHARLESE.GILLETT.
15
August 22, 1844.
15
The place where Brother Gillett was writing this report
from is not able to be read with any certainty on the copy
whichthe compiler has to work from.
PAGE 21
LETTER FROM SISTER C. STOWE - THE ADVENT HERALD, AND SIGNS OF
THE TIMES REPORTER, OCTOBER 2, 1844: -
LETTER FROMSISTERC. STOWE.
But in the days of the voice of the seventh
angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God
should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants
the prophets.
I have until recently felt an aversion to the
position taken by those who fix upon the 10
th
day of
the seventh month as the time for the deliverance of
Gods people and the destruction of his enemies; first,
because I thought the tarrying of the vision was an
indefinite portion of time, during which we were to
wait and watch. Secondly, because I understand the
declaration, of that day, &c. , to be an intimation that
though we are to know when it is near, yet, that the
day and hour was wisely withheld, that we might be
stimulated thereby to constant watchfulness; and
thirdly, because I thought the arguments presented
on the subject inconclusive. But while the light we
can obtain on the commencement of the prophetic
periods shows, at least, a strong probability in favour
of the 7
th
month; a few simple facts are sufficient to
decide the point fully with all who have not lost their
confidence in the fundamental principles of the
Advent faith.
We believe, that the prophetic periods
terminate about the year 43. But it has been shown
that not one of those periods which had its
commencement B. C. could terminate within that
year. For instance, the 2300 days commencing 457, if
reckoned from the first day of that year must extend
into the first day of 44, for it requires the whole of
both 457 and 1843 to make 2300. And it is just the
same with the other periods, 2520 and 2450.
Consequently all the confidence we have ever had in
these periods, we must still have in their ending the
present year, unless it can be proved that the month
and day of their commencement is already past. And
if that can be proved, we must relinquish the whole,
and acknowledge ourselves without chart or
compass. But no one has attempted to prove this. Let
us then have full confidence in Gods word, and
believe that at the time appointed the end shall be;
and that this point is the present year. Then if we can
ascertain what timein the year earths probation will
close, we may know when it will close the present
year.
There can be no reasonable doubt but that
the creation of the world is to be reckoned from the
month Tisri, which is now the 7
th
month of the Jewish
year. This is evident from the fact that,
notwithstanding God changed the commencement of
the year to Nisan, (Ex. 12
th
) the Jews still keep a
reckoning of the year from Tisri, as well as from
Nisan, calling the year reckoned from the former
month, theCivil, and from the latter, theSacred year.
It has ever been considered an indisputable fact, that
Tisri was the first month of the creation, and it stands
thus in our Polyglot Bibles. 6000 years must
therefore terminate in the 7
th
month; and then will
come the great Sabbath, typified by the 7
th
day in
which God rested from the work of creation, and will
rest in the new creation with his people. The seven
thousand years, Rev. xx. 4; 2 Pet. iii. 8; Heb. iv. 4, 5, 8,
9. Then will the ransomed of the Lord return, and
come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon
their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and
sorrow and sighing shall flee away. This, then, is the
year, and Tisri the month, when, if we do not fall
through unbelief, we shall enter into rest.
16
Again, the day of atonement, when the High
Priest, having cleansed the sanctuary, and made an
atonement for the holy place, for himself and for all
16
While the Millerite Adventists generally believed that
the weekly seventh-day Sabbath was a shadow or type of
the seventh thousand year Millennium rest of Gods people
in his everlasting kingdom, it needs to be pointed out, that
the weekly seventh-day Sabbath instituted at the end of
the creation week as recorded in Genesis 2:1-3, was
institutedBEFORE the fall of man. And therefore, it is NOT
a shadow or type of redemption. All shadows pointing
forward to Christ and redemption, were instituted AFTER
the fall of man. But if man had not sinned, the weekly
seventh-day Sabbath would still have been observed by
mankind through all eternity, as it will be in the New
Heavens and New Earth See Isaiah 66: 22 & 23.
PAGE 22
the congregation of the children of Israel: (Lev. xvi.
16, 17,) came out of the holy place, and blessed the
people, (Lev. ix. 22, 23,) was on the 10
th
day of the 7
th
month. Lev. xvi. 23, 29, and xxiii. 27. And St. Paul tells
us, Heb. viii. 5, that the priests, serve unto the
example andshadow of heavenly things. And in Heb.
9
th
chapter, but It was necessary that the pattern of
the things in the heavens should be purified with
these, but the heavenly things themselves with better
sacrifices than these; that Christ is not entered into
the holy place made with hands, which is the figure
of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in
the presence of God for us; not with blood of others,
but with his own blood; and unto them that look for
him, he shall appear the second time without sin unto
salvation. Showing truly that this was typical of the
mediation of our Great High Priest, and a shadow of
good things to come, which are to be brought at the
revelation of Jesus Christ. And as not one jot or tittle
of the law shall fail, till all be fulfilled, the mediation
of our Great High Priest must be completed on the
same month and day, which the law strictly enjoined.
For the antitype must answer to the type.
Again the Jubilee trump was to sound on this
same 10
th
day of the 7
th
month, in the day of
atonement; Lev. xxv. 9, and all in bondage were to go
free; (Lev. xxv. 40, 41, 54,) and every man return to
his possession, and enjoy his inheritance; and the
land and all its inhabitants were to rest, and keep the
Sabbath. Surely a type of the deliverance of the true
Israel from bondage of every kind, and enter on their
glorious rest, and everlasting inheritance. Now, if this
is the year of release foretold by the prophets, then
the 10
th
day of the 7
th
month this year, is the time
when this great trumpet shall be blown, and they
shall come that were ready to perish in the land of
Assyria, (or in the land of the enemy;) and the
outcasts of this land of Egypt, and shall worship the
Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem. Read Isa. xxviii.
13 in connexion with the three preceding chapters.
These types plainly show that the 10
th
day of
the 7
th
month is the time for the redemption of Gods
people. Then have we not the year, month, and day
plainly revealed? But besides all this, and the whole
round of Jubilees, commencing at the beginning of the
70 years captivity, 607, and extending to the present
year; we have living testimony from the Jews
themselves, that this is the Jubilee year.
Then if the signs are past, the Lord will come
this year; for this generation cannot continue 50
years longer, till another Jubilee; nor can the 2300
days, and the 1335 years extend to 1894. No, our
heavenly Father has not thus led out his children to
leave them to be destroyed in the wilderness, or to
turn back into Egypt. Let us beware then, lest we fall,
through unbelief. Brethren, the time is at hand, are
we ready? C. S.
Sept. 16
th
, 1844.
PAGE 23
WORD OF WARNING. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, OCTOBER 3, 1844 BY M.
WILLIAMSON: -
WORD OF WARNING.
Dear Brother Southard, I want to say a few
words through the Midnight Cry, to my dear
brethren and sisters scattered abroad, by way of
encouragement and warning, with my prayer to God
that it may be the means of awaking some of them to
see that our Lordis at the door! And I wish to address
each class separately. 1. To my brethren placed over
thehousehold, to give them meat in due season. Do
we feel the force of that language, The great day of
the Lord is near! IT IS NEAR!! and hasteth greatly!!!
even the voice of the day of the Lord; the mighty man
shall cry then bitterly. This language is forcible, and
full of warning, and it seems that God designed it
especially for us. O that we might take the warning,
and awake out of sleep. Who then is a faithful and
wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his
household TO GIVE THEM MEAT IN DUE SEASON?
Blessed is that servant who his Lord, WHEN HE
COMETH, SHALL FIND SO DOING. Doing what? Why
GIVING MEAT IN DUE SEASON. This certainly is
ours, and for us to read in our closets on our knees,
asking God to direct our attention to that which shall
be meat in due season, necessary for the
household, to make them ready for their coming
King, and for wisdom and grace to administer it
fearlessly, in its proper time. It does seem to me that
the meat given two years past is not the meat
necessary now to qualify the household, for their
coming Lord and Master. When you and I entered this
glorious field of labor, our business was to feed the
flock with what seemed to us the then present truth;
i. e. the coming of Christ in 1843, but now it is
acknowledged by nearly all that the time is past, of
courseit cannot bemeat in due season now, for our
brethren and sisters. The household are calling for
their portion of meat. What shall we do for them?
they must be fed. O Lord, open our eyes to see the
meat suitable for the family just now, that they may
be ready to go in when thou shalt come. They must be
fed, brethren, and if we refuse to feed them, God will
raise up servants who will do it, and we shall be laid
aside as unprofitable servants. O let us be ready to
hail the glad day.
You, know, brethren, the Jewish 1843, in
which it was calculated the prophetic periods would
end, is admitted by nearly all to be numbered among
the things that are past, and is it not true that the
vision (of the coming of Christ) is tarrying to us, and
that we are waiting for it? It is certainly true. When
we first believed the Advent doctrine, we were
represented as those who took their lamps and
WENT FORTH TO MEET THE BRIDEGROOM. March
21
st
passed by, and we were thrown into the
tarrying time. When we were asked what are you
going to do now? we told them, If the vision tarry,
wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not
tarry. For yet a little while and he THAT SHALL
COME, WILL COME, and will NOT TARRY. How
comforting this was to us, when time passed by! It
was sweeter than cold water to a thirsty soul.
17
While the Bridegroom tarried. To whom
does he tarry? To those who are looking for a
thousand years of peace and safety, - the return of the
carnal Jews to old Jerusalem. Does he tarry to the
nominal churches who have no faith in his
immediate coming? He does not. To whom then does
he tarry? To those who took their lamps and went
forth to meet him. Our brethren and sisters at home
and abroad are living witnesses of this truth, and it
has been the only answer we could give. It is no hard
matter tofind who took their lamps and went forth. It
is that class who were disappointed, to whom the
vision tarries. And while the Bridegroom tarried,
they all slumbered and slept; and at midnight (of this
17
Under the 1
st
Angels Message, William Miller and his
associates expected the 2
nd
Coming of Jesus to occur
sometime within the Jewish year 1843. This was calculated
by Br. Miller to end on March 21
st
, 1844. It was after the
passing of this first time of expectation for the 2
nd
coming
to take place that the Tarrying Time of the Ten Virgin
Parable of Matthew 25 commenced. It is to these events
under the preaching of the 1
st
message that the writer is
referring to in the first two paragraphs of this article.
PAGE 24
tarrying) there arose a cry, Lo the Bridegroom
cometh, go ye out to meet him. When we embraced
the doctrine, we were represented as those who
went forth. When the cry comes, Behold the
Bridegroom cometh, we are to GO OUT to meet him.
But how came we into this tarrying night? Because
we commenced the vision in thespring, instead of the
fall, 457 B C. We fell short of reaching the destined
port six months and a few days over. It threw us into
the tarrying night, six months. God stepped in with an
assurance that it will surely come, it will not tarry,
and tells us to wait for it. We are past midnight,
brethren. How is it with us and with thehousehold.
There is no time to be at ease in Zion, there is
a wo pronounced on such. Brethren, awake! awake!!
awake!!! OH! let all the soul within you for the
truths sake go abroad! STRIKE! let every nerve and
sinew tell on ages, tell for God. Seeing we look for
such things, what manner of persons ought we to be
in all holy conversation and godliness. Our labours
will soon be at an end, and O that we may be faithful
servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find
giving meat in due season. For yet a little while,
and he that shall come will come andwill not tarry.
TO THOSE IN THE MORE PRIVATE CIRCLE.
You see, by the above, where we are, and the awful
responsibility under which you are laid not only to
one another, but to the dearest cause ever espoused
by mortals. When God calls, you must obey; when the
truth is presented by the servant of God, or in other
words, when meat in due season is offered, you are
to eat and live, or refuse and be lost. When Godshows
us a truth, essential to our salvation, we have only to
reject it once, to secure our utter destruction and
banishment from the presence of the Lord, and the
glory of his power forever. We want to impress on
your memory the importance of strict obedience,
that now it is high time to awake out of sleep. Your
prayers and efforts were never more needed than at
this moment, when we consider that we are on the
threshold of the Judgment. Our brethren who carry
the word of the Lord to you, need your prayers and
presence. You are not aware of the feelings the
lecturer has who comes to you with a message from
God, in which your eternal all is involved, charged to
deliver it faithfully, and in the fear of God, when he
has done it to feel in his heart that but a very few
have been benefited, he leaves the house of prayer
with the language of the prophet of old coming from
the recesses of his heart, Oh that my head were
waters, and mine eyes a fountainof tears, that I might
weep day and night for the slain of the daughters of
my people. To you we make an appeal for your
assistance at this perilous moment. It is after
midnight of the tarrying, and we again repeat the cry,
Behold the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet
him. Awake, beloved brethren and sisters, that your
lamps may be all trimmed, and burning to welcome
the Bridegroom to the throne of David. The night
is far spent, the day is at hand, let us cast off the
works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of
light. My son, keep thy fathers commandment, and
forsake not the law of thy Mother. Bind them
continually upon thine heart; tie them about thy neck.
When thou goest, it shall lead thee, and when thou
sleepest, it shall keep thee, and when thou awakest, it
shall talk with thee. Why? Because the
commandment is a lamp, and the law is light, and
reproofs of instruction are the way of life. We once
more call upon you to awake, arise and trim you
lamps. Go ye out to meet him.The end of all things
is at hand. How near is that? He is at hand that doth
betray me; and while he yet spake, lo Judas came!
This is what we call at hand, when the signs are
fulfilled, especially the last one before our eyes. Some
of you still remain in the nominal churches;
supporting those who scoff at the coming of Christ (at
hand) behind your back; who are beating your
brethren and sisters, that are praying, Come Lord
Jesus, come quickly. God has forsaken them, and you
know it. It will be in vain to reach you and to do you
good, until you refrain from daubing these rejected
walls with untempered mortar. Come out from
among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and
touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.
Some of you we never expect to see in the present
state of things, but oh shall we meet in the air, to
crown him King of kings and Lord of lords? I close
with my prayer to God in the language of the poet,
May all our lamps be burning,
PAGE 25
Our loins well girded be,
Each longing heart preparing
With joy thy face to see.
Amen, even so come Lord Jesus.
M. WILLIAMSON.
18
18
This excellent article was written at the height of the
Midnight Cry message, when it was going with the power
of the Holy Spirit, just a few weeks before the Great
Disappointment of October 22, 1844. In this article, the
writer has given us an excellent overview of the Ten Virgin
parable, and the necessity for the Advent believers to leave
the nominal churches, which had rejected the message of
Christs 2
nd
coming being near at hand.
PAGE 26
LITCHFIELD CAMP-MEETING. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, OCTOBER 3, 1844
BY BR. BENEDICT: -
19
19
This article brings out the fact that the gifts of the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus to those who believed on him in Mark 16:
17 & 18were being revived among the Adventist brethren during the Midnight Cry movement.
PAGE 27
THE LAST THREE CAMP-MEETINGS IN CONNECTICUT. THE MIDNIGHT
CRY, OCTOBER 3, 1844 BY M. STODDARD: -
THE LAST THREE CAMP-MEETINGS IN
CONNECTICUT.
Dear Brother Southard, - As you have received
some account of the Manchester meeting by Brother
Hutchinson from your city, whose labours were
blessed among us; I will add but little. The number of
conversions at this meeting. including backsliders,
was, we believe, near sixty; and the amount of good
accomplished in the vicinity great for this day. The
testimonies of different persons on the subject of
healing the sick were heard with great astonishment
among the multitude; and some of them were
constrained to say, these things we can neither
gainsay nor resist; for the persons healed, and the
many witnesses of thecircumstances, were upon the
ground.
Our meeting at Newington closed about ten
days ago. This gathering of the saints was still more
interesting. The power of the Lord was displayed in
healing the body as well as the soul. The saints were
much revived, and the faith of many confirmed;
including backsliders, about eighty were converted.
We have now closed our camp-meeting at
Litchfield. We learned at this meeting a lesson from
the Lord, of importance. On Saturday evening, the
great enemy of our doctrine sent out about three
hundred believers that the Lord delays his coming.
They began to defend their doctrine by throwing
apples and tobacco at the preachers in the stand, and
after that, engaged in mocking and blasphemy; and at
a convenient time stoned to pieces the chandeliers,
and put out the lights, and after that, broke the stand
in pieces, and began to burn the boards; when the
high sheriff and one of the deputies being present,
began to advise them to desist, with a little degree of
earnestness, but were careful not to threaten them.
We here learned that civil authority was underfoot,
and could not restrain the wicked in Connecticut. But
praise the Lord, a sermon was preached by that
shameful act, that the people will not forget until the
heavens shall be no more. We attended to our own
work, continued the meeting as long as we intended;
not a hair of our heads was hurt; we had victory in
the name of our Master; God, in mercy, healed the
sick, and caused a dear child to speak with other
tongues as the Spirit gave him utterance; insomuch
that we marvelled and said, Let God work in his own
way.
20
I have this day been convinced that the Lord
will come this fall, the seventh month, tenth day, and
must close my letter, and go about warning the dear
people. And now, as this letter, through your paper,
will probably go to my friends in Liberty, my native
place, I will address to them my last warning. My dear
relatives and old neighbors, the true time for Daniels
vision to speak to this world with a voice ten
thousand times louder than thunder, will arrive in a
very few days; and now will you be ready to hail the
day with joy? God help you.
If I can visit New York again before the Lord
comes, I will; but it is very probable I shall see the
Lord first. I have timeto add no more. The Lord is at
hand.
M. STODDARD.
20
This article gives us the evidence that the gifts of the
Holy Spirit were poured out with power, during the 7
th
Month Movement. We have recorded in this letter the gift
of healing the sick, and the gift of speaking with other
tongues (by a child no less), recorded as taking place
among Advent believers. Also, the opposition that this
message aroused in unbelievers is faithfully recorded in
this article. These gifts of the Spirit are a parallel for
believers with what will occur under the Loud Cry of the
3
rd
Angel.
PAGE 28
LETTER FROM PHILADELPHIA. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, OCTOBER 11, 1844
BY CHARLES L. FITCH: -
PAGE 29
FROM BROTHER MORLEY. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, OCTOBER 11, 1844: -
21
21
In Brother Morleys letter we have more examples of how the Midnight Cry message was carried under the power of the
Holy Spirit, and how the gift of the healing of the sick was restored to the true Church of Christ at this time. It truly was a
revival of apostolic power during this Spirit filled Movement!
PAGE 30
AN EXTRACT FROM A LETTER BY BROTHER NASH CONCERNING THE
FRUITS OF THE MIDNIGHT CRY MESSAGE THE MIDNIGHT CRY,
OCTOBER 12, 1844: -
PAGE 31
GO YE OUT TO MEET HIM. THE TENTH DAY OF THE SEVENTH MONTH
THE ADVENT HERALD, AND SIGNS OF THE TIMES REPORTER, OCTOBER 16,
1844 BY GEORGE STORRS: -
Go ye out to meet Him.
THE TENTH DAY OF THE SEVENTH MONTH.
I take up my pen with feelings such as I never
before experienced. Beyond a doubt, in my mind, the
tenth day of the seventh month will witness the
revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds of
heaven. We are then within afew days of that event.
Awful moment to those who are unprepared but
glorious to those who are ready. I feel that I am
making thelast appeal that I shall ever make through
the press. My heart is full. I see the ungodly and the
sinner disappearing from my view, and there now
stands before my mind the professed believers in the
Lords near approach. But what shall I say to them?
Alas! we have all beenslumbering and sleeping both
thewise and thefoolish; but so our Savior told us it
would be; and thus the Scriptures are fulfilled, and
it is the last prophecy relating to the events to
precede thepersonal advent of our Lord; now comes
the True Midnight Cry. The previous, was but the
alarm. Now the real one is sounding; and Oh, how
solemn the hour. The virgins have been asleep or
slumbering; yes, all of us. Asleep on the time: that is
the point. Some have indeed preached the seventh
month, but it has with doubt whether it is this year
or some other: and that doubt is now removed from
my mind. Behold, the Bridegroom cometh, This Year,
Go ye out to meet him. We have done with the
nominal churches and all the wicked, except so far as
this cry may affect them: our work is now to wake up
the virgins who took their lamps and went forth to
meet the Bridegroom. Where are we now? If the
vision tarry, wait for it. Is not that our answer since
last March and April? Yes. What happened while the
bridegroomtarried? The virgins all slumbered and
slept, did they not? Christs words have not failed;
and the Scriptures cannot be broken, and it is of no
use for us to pretend that we have been awake: we
have been slumbering; not on the fact of Christs
coming, but on the time. We came into the tarrying
time - we did not know how long it would tarry,
and on that point we have slumbered some of us
have said, in our sleep, Dont fix another time; so
we slept. Now the trouble is to wake us up. Lord help,
for vain is the help of man. Speak thyself, Lord. O, that
theFather may now make knownthe time.
Peter, 1
st
Epistle, chap. i. 11, positively
declares that the Spirit of Christ, in the prophets, did
testify the time for the sufferings of Christ and the
glory that should follow, and gives us to understand,
in the 13
th
verse, that that glory was to be at the
revelation of Jesus Christ. Speaking of theprophets,
Peter says Searching what, or what manner of time
the Spirit of Christ, which was in them did signify,
when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ,
and the glory that should follow. Wherefore gird up
the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end
for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the
revelation of Jesus Christ. Here we have the fact
stated that the Spirit of Christ did reveal to the
prophets thetime not only of Christs sufferings, but
of his glory, or revelation. Peter tells us the time
revealed was not literal but symbolical. What
manner of time? He also says that theangels desire
to look into these things. By turning to the 12
th
chapter of Daniel, we find, that after the angel had
finished the detailed explanation of the visions, and
wound up with the standing up of Michael, [one like
God the Son of God,] the resurrection of the saints,
and those that had turned many to righteousness
shine as the stars, &c., that Daniel sees, verse 5, two
angels, and one said to the man clothed in linen,
which was upon the waters of the river how long
shall it be to the end of these wonders? Here is an
inquiry about time, by the angels. Well, Peter said the
angels desired to look into it. Did they get an answer?
See Dan. xii. 7 And I heard the man clothed in
linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when
he held up his right hand and his left hand unto
heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever, and it
shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he
shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the
holy people, all these things shall be finished. This
person thus swearing, was none other than the Lord
Jesus Christ; and he swear to time. Yea, to time
connected with the second advent, the resurrection,
and the glorification of his people. The time, however,
PAGE 32
is symbolical. But will any man dare take the
blasphemous position that the Lord Jesus sware to
time that meant nothing; or, which is the same thing,
sware, with the most solemn oath, to time that he
intended should never be understood! Such a
position, one would suppose, is blasphemous enough
to make a devil tremble; for, it is virtually charging
the Lord of Glory withswearing a lie!! Beware, O vain
man, how you thus charge the Son of God. Time is
revealed. But it cannot be understood without
obeying Christ, and inquiring and searching
diligently what, and what manner of time. Those
who are too indolent to search, or who are afraid to
follow truth when they find it, for fear of man, whose
breath is in his nostrils, will of course remain in
ignorance of time, and that day, most likely, will come
upon them unawares.
I will now present a brief argument from the
types to show that thetenth day of theseventh month
is the time in the year to look for our coming Lord.
Matt. v. 17, 18 Our Lord says, Think not
that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; I
am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say
unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one
tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be
fulfilled. This must relate to the law of types as well
as the moral law. Let us now inquire how the types
have been fulfilled. The first we will notice is the
slaying of the pascal lamb, Exodus xii. 6, - And ye
shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same
month: and the whole assembly of the congregation
of Israel shall kill it in the evening.Between the two
evenings, is the marginal reading. The Jews divided
their afternoon into two evenings, viz. from the sixth
to the ninth hour, and from the ninth hour to
sundown; this is, from mid-day to our three oclock,
and from three oclock to the sun setting. The lamb,
which was a type of Christ, was killed in the point in
the day we call three oclock in the afternoon, on the
fourteenth of the first month. Was this type exactly
fulfilled to our Lords death? Yes. He was put to death
at thePassover, and died at three oclock, or the ninth
hour. See Mark xv. 33 37. Thus the type had an
exact fulfilment on the day, and at the very hour; so
exact is God about time.
Leviticus xxiii: 9- 11, - We read thus, And the
Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the
children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be
come into the land which I give unto you, and shall
reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of
the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest; and he
shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted
for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest
shall wave it. Here is a type of Christs resurrection,
and Paul tells us, 1
st
Cor. 15: 20 But now is Christ
risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of
them that slept. On what day did our Lord rise from
the dead? On the first day of the week, or the
morrow after the Sabbath. Thus exactly fulfilling
the type not only in the thing signified, but in the
time. Lev. xxiii. 15, 10 we have the time of thefeast
of weeks, or, as it is called, the Pentecost, which
signifies thefiftieth day. This was the anniversary of
the giving of the Law, and the descent of the Lord
upon Mount Sinai. Exactly on that day did the Holy
Spirit descend on the Apostles. Actsii. 1 4.
If the types have been fulfilled exactly as to
time even to the hour, where that is known, will
those that remain to be fulfilled, be less exact? I think
not. God always has kept time in the fulfilment of the
prophecies; and thus far, as we have seen, in the
types. He will not fail on us now. No, not one jot or
onetittle shall pass from the law till all be fulfilled.
Let us then look at those types that remain to be
accomplished. Lev. xvi. 29 34 And this shall be a
statute for ever unto you, that in the seventh month,
on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your
souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your
own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among
you: For on that day shall the priest make an
atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be
clean from all your sins before the Lord. It shall be a
Sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your
souls, by a statute forever. And the priest, when he
shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to
minister in the priests office in his fathers stead,
shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen
clothes, even the holy garments: And he shall make
an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall
make an atonement for the tabernacle of the
congregation, and for the altar; and he shall make an
atonement for the priests, and for all the people of
the congregation. And this shall be an everlasting
statute unto you, to make an atonement for the
children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year. Inthe
PAGE 33
9
th
chap. we have an account of what was to be done
on that day, and at the closing part it of we are told,
Lev. ix. 22, 23 And Aaron lifted up his hand
towards the people and blessed them, and came
down from offering of the sin-offering, and the burnt
offering, and peace-offerings. And Moses and Aaron
went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and
came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the
Lord appeared unto all the people. Christ, our great
High Priest, has gone into the Holy of Holies for us,
with his own blood, and to them that look for him
shall appear the second time without sin unto
salvation. Heb. ix. 28. When he comes out of the Holy
of Holies, will it not be on theday typified? Beyond a
doubt in my mind it will be. Look at this type as set
forth in Lev. xxiii. 26, 27, 29, 32 And the Lord spake
unto Moses saying, Also on the tenth day of the
seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it
shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall
afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire
unto the Lord. For whatsoever soul it be that shall
not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off
from among his people. It shall be unto you a
sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the
ninth dayof the month at even, from even unto even,
shall ye celebrate your sabbath. Every soul not found
afflicted, that is, humbled and penitent for his sins
on that dayamong his people, will be cut off.
We will now look at the Jubilee. Lev. xxv. 8
10, 13 And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of
years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the
space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto
thee forty and nine years. Then shalt thou cause the
trumpet of the jubilee to sound, on the tenth day of
the seventh month; in the day of atonement shall ye
make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.
And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim
liberty throughout all the land unto all the
inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and
ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye
shall return every man unto his family. In the year
of this jubilee ye shall return every man unto his
possession. All Christians admit this is a type of the
final deliverance of the saints. The tenth day of the
seventh month is the time God has set. Will it not
come then? Yes, God will vindicate his word to the
last jot and tittle.
This present year called 1844, but truly 1843,
will be the Jubilee. It may not be possible to
determine with certainty when the anniversary of the
fiftieth year of the Jubilee, as kept by the Jews, would
return; but that does not alter thenature of the type;
and theday in the year is expressly fixed in thetenth
day of theseventh month, in the day of atonement. I
now see that God has given us the year as well as the
month and day in which our Great High Priest will
come forth, and the Trump of Jubilee will sound.
So far as the chronology is concerned on
which we have based the termination of the 2300
years, I care but little, and shall say but little; for, I
consider the types to be fulfilled, and the 25
th
of
Matthew, as I shall show, settles the fact that this
year is the true termination. I would just say, that we
have taken 457 before Christ as the point from which
to start the 2300 years. The year corresponds with
the Julian Period 4257. The Julian Period is a period
used by astronomers reaching back of creation. Now
add to that year of the Julian Period 2300, and we
have 6557.
Thus 4257 +2300=6557, which corresponds
with this year 1844.
Again, add to 4257 the Julian period of the
going forth of the commandment to restore and build
Jerusalem, the 70 weeks or 490 years, that are cut off
from the vision of 2300 days, and we are brought to
4747 of the Julian Period, which corresponds to A. D.
34; fixing the termination of the seventy weeks at
that point. Thus 4257 +490 =4747, which is A. D. 34;
2300 years the whole length of the vision.
490 yearscut off, Dan. 9
th
, 24, bringing
us to A. D. 34.
------
1810 remained after the 70 weeks
were cut off.
Thus add to A. D. 34 +1810, and we have A. D.
1844, which is infact thetrue year, 1843.
PAGE 34
I am satisfied: we must give up our previous
positions, or admit this is the year of our Lords
return.
The wise shall understand, the angel
declared, and we have echoed it. Understand what?
we have asked, and answered The Time. Shall we
now take our opponents ground, and say No man
is to know anything about the day and hour? Yes we
shall say so if we are asleep; not without. Do we not
say, We are in the tarrying time? What does our
Lord say shall then happen? The virgins slumber and
sleep. Who are the virgins? Not the heathen who
never had the lamp the Bible; not the wicked, out of
the churches they never went forth to meet the
Bridegroom; not the nominal churches, they have
done no such thing; no, no: it was the professed
believers in the advent of 1843, and nobody else.
Now look at the 24
th
chapter of Matthew: - all the
signs to precede the advent had been given, and the
chapter closes with the evil servants doing the very
works which we know has been going on for a short
time past. One of these so-called doctors of divinity
said in the pulpit, a few days since, that the advent
believers had cursed the Church long enough. That
looks as if the prophecy now had its full
accomplishment. The 25
th
of Matthew commences at
that point, and says Then at that time shall the
kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which
took their lamps and went forth to meet the
Bridegroom. And five of them were wise and five
were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps,
and took no oil with them: but the wise took oil in
their vessels with their lamps. While the Bridegroom
tarried, [if the vision tarry,] they all slumbered and
slept. On what did they slumber and sleep? Time.
Not the fact that Christ is coming but the time.
And at midnight. How long the vision? Unto 2300
evening-mornings. An evening or night, then, ishalf
of one of those prophetic days. Here then we have the
chronology of Jesus Christ. Thetarrying time is just
half a year. When did we go into this time? Last
March or April.
22
Then the latter part of July would
bring us to midnight. At that time God put this cry
into the hearts of some of his servants, and they saw,
from the Bible, that God had given the chronology of
the tarrying time, and its length. There it is, in the 25
th
of Matthew. At midnight there was a cry made,
Behold the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet
22
Thetarrying time commenced in March or April, 1844,
when the Jewish year 1843 passed away, without the
expected 2
nd
Coming of Jesus having taken place.
him. Here we are the last warning is now sounding!!
O, heed it ye virgins. Awake, awake, awake. O, flee for
thy life look not behind thee remember Lots wife
Whosoever shall seek to save his life, shall lose it;
and whosoever shall lose his life, shall preserve it.
He that will not venture on the Lord and his word,
risking all leaving all going out from all, with
works corresponding to his faith; will perish; for
faith without works is dead, and by works is faith
made perfect. O that our Lord may now give power
to His truth, and beget in us the spirit of entire
consecration that we may go in to the marriage feast
of the Lamb.
To illustrate the position we have occupied.
Time the preaching of definite time for the coming
of our Lord was what led us to take our lamps and go
forth to meet the Bridegroom. The great truth, our
Lord Jesus Christ is coming again, personally, to this
earth, was, so to speak, the rope let down from
heaven, made fast to the throne of God, and equally
immoveable as that throne; by faith, as with both
hands, we took hold of that rope; under our feet we
had a solid platform, time, where we stand, and all
our opponents could not remove it, nor make us let
go of the rope. There we stood and rejoiced in the
blessed hope. What our opponents never could and
never did do, the end of the supposed Jewish year
1843,
23
effected, viz. swept away our platform from
under us, and left us with nothing but the rope to
hold on by. Did we let go? Some have, anddrawn back
to perdition. But many have continued to hold by the
rope. The scoffing winds have beat against us
severely, and we have swung in the air the sport of
our opponents. They told us we were now with them,
looking for the Lords coming, but without any
definite time; and we have been compelled to admit
it, but have refused to let go of the rope, - saying If
the vision tarry, wait for it. But we have not known
how long we were thus to swing upon the rope,
without a foundation for our feet; and we have not
23
As we have seen previously, William Miller and his
associates taught that under the proclamation of the 1
st
Angels Message, Jesus would come the second time
sometime within the Jewish year 1843. This was
calculated to end in the Northern Hemisphere spring of
1844. There are some individuals today who claim to be
giving the time prophecies of the 1
st
Angels Message just
as William Miller did, and yet they never refer to the
Jewish year 1843 in their teachings. This is NOT
proclaiming the message just as Miller did!
PAGE 35
felt the same joy and glory that we did when we
stood on definite time. God has been trying our faith,
to see if we would hold on. Now, once more, he offers
us a platform on which to stand. It is in the 25
th
chapter of Matthew. Here we have thechronology of
the tarrying time, and its duration. If ye shall receive
it, you will find once more your feet upona rock, and
the glory that the first belief in time produced in our
breasts, returns with a large addition to it, evena joy
unspeakable and full of glory.
The tenth day of the seventh month cannot I
think be farther off than October 22d or 23d; It may
be sooner. From the language of Leviticus xxiii. 32, I
think the hour of the advent will be at theevening of
the tenth day; thus God may design to try our faith till
the verylast moment; and he that shall endure unto
the end, the same shall be saved.
I am inclined to believe that those who watch
for the day and hour will understand both, before
they arrive. Paul says, Heb. x. 25, Exhorting one
another; and so much the more as ye see the day
approaching. Which seems to imply that it may be
seen before it actually arrives. Our Lord says, Rev. iii.
3. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on
you as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I
will come upon thee. Which implies, that, if we will
watch we shall know what hour. It appears to me
probable that the blowing of trumpets in the seventh
month, in thefirst day of the month, Lev. xxiii. 24, is
to be understood as a type of something that is to
occur on that day which will be asignal to those who
are watching to show them that the seventh month
has commenced. It may be the literal sounding of the
seventh trumpet. If not that, something that Gods
people, who are watching, will understand, and then
know for certainty when thetenth day is. Psa. lxxxi.
3, Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, [the first
day of the seventh month] in thetime appointed, on
our solemn feast day. I think that blowing of
trumpets means something that we shall very soon
understand. The Lord help us to stand on our watch
tower.
RECAPITULATION. 1. Time for the Advent of
our Lord is revealed. The vision is yet for an
appointed time.
2. The time may known. The wise shall
understand.
3. Though it [He] tarry, wait for it [Him.]
4. While the Bridegroom tarried, they all
slumbered and slept. On what?Time.
5. We are in thetarrying time now, and have
been since last spring.
6. How long is the tarrying time? Half a year.
How do you know? Because, our Lord says, at
midnight, while the Bridegroom tarried. The vision
was for 2300 evening-mornings, or days. An
evening, or night is half of one of those prophetic
days, and is therefore six months. That is the whole
length of the tarrying time. The present strong cry of
time commenced about the middle of July, and has
spread with great rapidity and power, and is
attended with a demonstration of the Spirit, such as I
never witnessed when the cry was 1843. It is now
literally, go ye out to meet him. There is a leaving
all, that I never dreamed could be seen. Where this
cry gets hold of the heart, farmers leave their farms,
with their crops standing, to go out and sound the
alarm and mechanics their shops. There is a strong
crying with tears, and a consecration of all to God,
such as I never witnessed. There is a confidence in
this truth such as was never felt in the previous cry,
in the same degree; and a weeping or melting glory in
it that passes all understanding except to those who
have felt it.
24
On this present truth, I, through grace,
dare venture all, and feel that to indulge in
doubt about it, would be to offend God and bring
upon myself swift destruction. I am satisfied
that now whosoever shall seek to save his
life, where this cry has been fairly made, by
indulging in an if it dont come, or by a fear to
venture out on this truth, shall lose his life. It
requires the same faith that led Abraham to
offer up Isaac or Noah to build the ark or Lot
to leave Sodom or the children of Israel to
stand all night waiting for their departure out of
Egypt or for Daniel to go into the lions den or
the three Hebrews into the fiery furnace. We
have fancied we were going into the kingdom
without such a test of faith; but I am satisfied we
are not. This last truth brings such a test, and
none will venture upon it but such as dare be
24
This paragraph highlights the fruits manifested by the
proclamation of the Midnight Cry, and when it
commenced to go with the power of the Holy Spirit, in July,
1844. Right in the middle of thetarrying time.
PAGE 36
accounted fools, madmen, or anything else that
Antediluvians, Sodomites, a luke-warm church,
or sleeping virgins, are disposed to heap upon
them. Once more would I cry Escape for thy
life Look not behind you. Remember Lots
wife. GEO. STORRS.
PAGE 37
THE PRESENT MOVEMENT. ITS RISE, PROGRESS AND
CHARACTERISTICS. - THE ADVENT HERALD, AND SIGNS OF THE TIMES
REPORTER, OCTOBER 16, 1844, SECOND EDITION: -
ThePresent Movement.
ITS RISE, PROGRESS, AND CHARACTERISTICS.
After the passing away of 1843 the Jewish
year, - the great body of the Adventists settled down
in their belief that we could henceforth reckon
particular times with no degree of positiveness.
They believed that we were where our chronology
points, as the end of all the prophetic periods, at the
termination of which the Advent is expected, and that
while we should have to wait only the little while
that our chronology might vary from Gods time, yet
they believed that we could have no more clue to the
definite time. They had all taken their lamps and gone
forth to meet the Bridegroom; but the Bridegroom
had tarried beyond the time (1843) in which he was
expected. During this tarrying of the vision, it seemed
to be the determination of all to wait for it, believing
it could not be long delayed and that it might be
momentarily expected. It was, however soon very
evident that multitudes were forming plans for the
future, which they would not form if they believed
the Lord would come this year; and that they had
fallen asleep with regard to a realizing sense of the
Lords immediate appearing. In other words, they
thought he might come any day, or that it might be
delayed some little while, during which they might
enjoy a refreshing repose. Well, this was as our Savior
said it should be: - While the Bridegroom tarried
they all slumbered and slept.
As early as May 1843, Mr. Miller had called
our attention to the seventh month, of the Jewish
Sacred year, as the time of the observance of those
types which point to the Second Advent; and the last
Autumn, we looked to that point of time with much
interest. After it had passed away, Bro. S. S. Snow,
fully embraced the opinion, that according to the
types, the Advent of the Lord, when it does occur,
must occur on the tenth day of the seventh month;
but he was not positive as to the year. He afterwards
saw that the prophetic periods do not actually expire
until the present 1844; he then planted himself on
the ground that about the 22d of Oct., the tenth day
of the seventh month of this present year, must
witness the Advent of the Lord of glory. This, he
preached in New York, Philadelphia, and other places
during the past spring and summer; and while many
embraced his views, yet, no particular manifestation
of itseffect was seen, until about July.
In the early part of the season, some of our
brethren in the north of New Hampshire, had been so
impressed with the belief that the Lord would come
before another winter, that they did not cultivate
their fields. About the middle of July which was the
midnight of the evening of the Jewish dayyear,
evening-morning, reckoning from the new moon of
April, the commencement of this Jewish year others,
who had sown and planted their fields, were so
impressed with a sense of the Lords immediate
appearing, that they could not consistently with their
faith, harvest their crops. Some, on going into their
fields to cut their grass, found themselves entirely
unable to proceed, and, conforming to their sense of
duty, left their crops standing in the field, to show
their faith by their works, and thus to condemn the
world. This rapidly extended through the north of
New England.
About the middle of July, the blessing of God
began to attend the proclamation of the time.
25
And
those who embraced either the tenth day of the 7
th
month, or the views of our brethren in New
Hampshire, manifested a marked change and a
sudden waking out of sleep. As was predicted, at
midnight there was a cry made, behold the
Bridegroom cometh, go ye out tomeet him. Then all
those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. From
25
There are some individuals today who publicly teach
that the Midnight Cry movement took place in only the
very short period of two to three weeks. But reading this
article written at the time the movement was going, it can
be seen that such a teaching is error. The message
commenced to go with the power of the Holy Spirit from
July 1844, right in the middle of the tarrying time.
PAGE 38
July, the two movements one in New Hampshire,
and the other in the south of N England, above
referred to were distinct, but were each marked by
the presence of God, in the sanctification of his saints.
At the Exeter Campmeeting, in August, the two
influences met, mingled into one and spread rapidly
through all the Advent bands in the land.
At first, the definite time was generally
opposed; but there seemed to be an irresistible
power attending its proclamation, which prostrated
all before it. It swept over the land with the velocity
of a tornado, and it reached hearts in different and
distant places almost simultaneously, and in a
manner which can be accounted for only on the
supposition that God is in this matter. It has produced
everywhere the most deep searching of hearts and
humiliation of souls before the God of high heaven. It
has caused a weaning of affections from the things of
this world, a healing of controversies and animosities,
a confession of wrongs, a breaking down before God,
and penitent broken-hearted supplications to Him for
pardon and acceptance. It has caused self-abasement
and prostration of soul, such as we never before
witnessed. As God by Joel commanded, when the
great day of God should be at hand, it has produced a
rending of hearts and not of garments, and a turning
unto the Lord with fasting and weeping and
mourning. As God said by Zechariah, a spirit of grace
and supplication has been poured out upon His
children, they have looked to Him whom they had
pierced, and there has been a great mourning in the
land, every family apart and their wives apart; and
those who are looking for the Lord have afflicted
their souls before him. Such has been its effect on the
children of God. And we have to confess that we have
had no agency in producing this movement, but while
we opposed it, God brought it about in spite of us:
and in receiving it we could but exclaim, What were
we, that we should resist God?
26
The effect that this movement has produced
upon the wicked has greatly served to strengthen us
in our belief that God is in it. While Gods children
have met together to prostrate and humble
themselves before God, & to prepare for his coming,
26
This paragraph is an excellent description of the fruits
produced by the movement of the True Midnight Cry.
as it becomes a company of sinners to do, the wicked
have manifested the greatest malice. When we had
given no notice of our meetings, save in our own
paper, nor invited the public there, the sons of Belial
crowded into our meetings, and caused much
disturbance. On Saturday evening, of the 12
th
inst.
when we had no meeting, they broke into the
Tabernacle, but were expelled by the city authorities.
On the Sabbath,
27
after the building was filled, a
dense crowd occupied the street in front of the
building, - many of them being enraged that any
should believe in the advent of the Lord. In the
evening no meeting was held; yet the street was filled
with a mob at an early hour; but the prompt
interference of the Mayor and his efficient police,
which was unsolicited, cleared the street, after
sending a very few to the watch-house. The city
authorities have been very prompt and efficient in
affording us that protection which the laws give to all
peaceable citizens.
How true has the prophecy proved, that the
wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked
shall understand. They were like the mob which
gathered around the door of Lot before the
destruction of Sodom. The wicked manifest the same
feelings in New York, Philadelphia and other places.
When we consider the rise and progress of this
movement, with its effect upon both the saints and
sinners, we can but regard it as the work of God, as
the true midnight cry, and as a sign to which all
should take heed.
27
In this paragraph, the writer mistakenly applies the
words the Sabbath which scripturally refers to the
seventh-day of the week - our Saturday, to Sunday the
first day of the week.
PAGE 39
BRO. MILLERS LETTER, ON THE SEVENTH MONTH. - THE ADVENT HERALD,
AND SIGNS OF THE TIMES REPORTER, OCTOBER 16, 1844, SECOND
EDITION: -
Bro. MillersLetter,
ON THE SEVENTH MONTH.
Behold the Bridegroom cometh.
DEAR BRO. HIMES: - I see a glory in the
seventh month which I never saw before. Although
the Lord had shown me the typical bearing of the
seventh month, one year and a half ago, yet I did not
realize the force of the types. Now, blessed be the
name of the Lord, I see a beauty, a harmony, and an
agreement in the Scriptures, for which I have long
prayed, but did not see until to-day. Thank the Lord,
O my soul. Let Bro. Snow, Bro. Storrs and others, be
blessed for their instrumentality in opening my eyes.
I am almost home, Glory!! Glory!! Glory!! I see that the
time is correct; yes, my brother, our time 1843 was
correct! How so, say you? Did not the Lord say Unto
two thousand three hundred days, then shall the
sanctuary be cleansed? But when? When the seventh
month comes, - that is the typical time, then will the
people and place be sanctified. When did the 2300
days end? Last spring. Then the vision tarried. How
long? Until the seventh month. But it will come, at
the appointed time, in the seventh month, and will
not tarry, another year; for if it should, then it would
be 2301 years.
But, bless the Lord, he has not deceived us! He
will justify his word, and all who have believed it. Oh
my soul, how clear that it must tarry until the 7
th
month, it will not tarry beyond. I believe it, yes, I love
it. Oh, the glory I have seen to-day. My brother, I
thank God for this light. My soul is so full I cannot
write. I call on you, and all who love his appearing, to
thank him for this glorious truth. My doubts, and
fears, and darkness, are all gone. I see that we are yet
right. Gods word is true; and my soul is full of joy; my
heart is full of gratitude to God. Oh, how I wish I could
shout. But I will shout when theKing of kings comes
Methinks I hear you say, Br. Miller is now a
fanatic. Very well, call me what you please; I care
not; Christ will come in the 7
th
month, and will bless
us all. Oh! glorious hope. Then I shall see him, and be
like him, and be with him forever. Yes, forever and
ever.
The Lord has taken a great burden off from
my shoulders to-day. One text, which has been a
block in my path for twenty years, I have had opened
to my mind as clear as the sun this day. For this, I
thank Br. Smith, of Castleton, as the instrument. You
have often heard me remark, when I have thought on
Christs immediate coming, on the passage in Rev. xvi.
16, And he gathered them together into a place
called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. Now I had
always supposed that this was the gathering the
kings and the world to aplace called in the Hebrew
tongueArmageddon, for the battle of the great day of
God Almighty. See verse 14: For they are the spirits
of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the
kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather
them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Very well, say you; is it no so? I answer no. Why not?
1
st
. Because in the 14
th
verse, it is the three
unclean spirits that gather, [not together] the kings of
the earth and the whole world, [not into one place],
but to the battle of that great day of God Almighty;
which may be over the whole earth. See Jeremiah xxv.
33: And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day
from one end of the earth even unto the other end of
the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither
PAGE 40
gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the
ground. And many other texts prove that the whole
world is to be included in this destruction.
2d. Christ gathers them. Read the 15
th
verse
Behold I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth
and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked and
they see his shame. Then 16
th
verse, And he
gathered them together, &c.
Who gathered them? Christ. Whom did he
gather? Those who watched, and kept their garments,
and were not naked and ashamed before him at his
coming. 1 John ii. 28 And now, little children, abide
in him; that when he shall appear we may have
confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his
coming. See also Matt. xxiv. 31; Mark xiii. 27; Luke
xxi. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that
ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these
things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the
Son of man.
To what place will Christ gather his elect? To
a place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. What is the
meaning of Armageddon? The mountain of Megiddo,
or the mountain of the gospel, or otherwise, the
mountain of fruits; which is simply to gather them
into his kingdom, which is called a great mountain,
filling the whole earth. Dan. ii. 35; Zec. iv. 7; or into
his garner of fruits, as the farmer, in the time of
harvest, gathers his fruits into his barn.
This, then, shows clearly that Christ will come
and save his people, before the time of trouble can be
accomplished; and I now do not know of a single text,
which disproves Christ is coming, this 7
th
month; and
I have no drawback in my mind. If he does not come
within 20 or 25 days, I shall feel twice the
disappointment I did this spring. But, says my
unbelieving neighbor, If you will be disappointed
again, we will not pity you, if you fail. Then so it must
be. But one thing I do know, there is glory in my soul
now; and I will not spoil that, by doubting, when I
have no reason to doubt.
You ask me two questions. 1. Was the Jubilee
a type of the final redemption, as to time, and will the
great Jubilee come this fall? I answer, It is certainly a
type. It was a memorial every 50
th
year; and began on
the same day that the high priest made atonement,
and came out of the holy place and blessed the people
on the 10
th
day of the 7
th
month. The great antitype
must agree with its type. Then if we were right in our
calculations, respecting the 2520 years, and the 2300
years, it must and will come this fall. I think we are
right, therefore I see no reason why we may not
expect him within twenty days. I pray God it may be
so.
Just as the feast of the first and third month
were fulfilled in the sacrifice of Christ, and in the
descent of the Holy Spirit, just so true will
redemption be completed by the fifteenth day of the
seventh month, after the 2520and the 2300 years are
accomplished. This calculation, I believe in my soul
will never fail.
Your next question is, Was the atonement
made by the High Priest on the tenth day of the
seventh month, typical of the second coming of Christ
as to time? I answer, it must be as to the time in the
year; for so have all the others been fulfilled; and Paul
evidently alludes to it in Heb. ix. 28, So Christ was
once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them
that look for him shall he appear the second time
without sin unto salvation. As that was the day when
the Jewish High Priest every year came out and
blessed his people, so must our High Priest come,
once for all, to bless and save his people, after he has
finished making the atonement; and then the door
will be shut. I am strong in my opinion that the next
will be the last Lords day sinners will ever have in
probation; and within ten or fifteen days from thence,
they will see Him, whom they have hated and
despised, to their shame and everlasting contempt.
PAGE 41
Oh what will then become of nominal, cold-hearted
scoffers and professors. Have mercy, Oh God, have
mercy upon them. I can be of no use in Boston; in
twenty days or less, I shall see all that love Jesus. My
health is such that I cannot be present at your
Conference. The Lord bless and save you all when he
comes. Amen and amen.
WM. MILLER.
Low Hampton, Oct. 6, 1844.
PAGE 42
A DAY OF WONDERS. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, OCTOBER 19, 1844: -
28
28
This is another example of the power of the Holy Spirit working amongst the Advent believers during the Spirit filled
movement of the Midnight Cry!
PAGE 43
FROM BROTHER DAVIDSON. THE MIDNIGHT CRY, OCTOBER 19, 1844: -
29
29
This letter from Brother Davidson brings out the part that an entire consecration to God and a forsaking of all the ties that
bound the believers to this world played in the Midnight Cry movement. These were some of the fruits that were produced
as a result of accepting the Midnight Cry message.
PAGE 44
AN EXTRACT FROM THE VOICE OF ELIJAH CONCERNING THE POWER OF
THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE MIDNIGHT CRY MESSAGE THE MIDNIGHT
CRY, OCTOBER 19, 1844: -
The Voice of Elijah, (Toronto,) for Oct. 2,
says:
This truth is going like electricity through the
ranks of the believers in the Lords coming, in this
city. Such glorious and melting seasons we never saw
before. GODS SPIRIT IS SEALING THIS TRUTH
ON THE HEARTS OF HIS PEOPLE, in a most
wonderful manner ALTOGETHER
UNPRECEDENTED in any former experience. Some
backsliders are returning.
30
30
The Midnight Cry was proclaimed in the power of the
Holy Spirit, in about 3 months. The Latter Rain will come
with ten times the power of the Midnight Cry.
Spalding-Magan Collection, p. 4: - I saw the latter rain was
coming as the midnight cry, and with ten times the power.
PAGE 45
SECOND ADVENT WAY MARKS AND HIGH HEAPS. OR A CONNECTED VIEW,
OF THE FULFILMENT OF PROPHECY, BY GODS PECULIAR PEOPLE, FROM
THE YEAR 1840 TO 1847. BY ELDER JOSEPH BATES, PUBLISHED IN 1847,
PAGES 30 33:-
31
31
Some of the Adventists understood that the Jewish year 1843, would end in March, 1844, such as William Miller; while
others believed that it would end in April, 1844.
PAGE 46
32
32
The True Midnight Cry published by S. S. Snow that Elder Bates refers to here, has been reproduced in full on PAGES 14
19, of this Study Document. We also note how important a roll the distribution of Adventist Literature played in giving the
Midnight Cry message. The papers and tracts were distributedas the flying leaves of autumn.
PAGE 47
PAGE 48
A SEAL OF THE LIVING GOD. A HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR THOUSAND OF THE
SERVANTS OF GOD BEING SEALED, In 1849 BY ELDER JOSEPH BATES,
PUBLISHED IN 1849, PAGE 67: -
Gather my saints together unto me, those
that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.
Psa. L: 5. When did we do this as a people? Answer: in
1844, during a cry at midnight: how much was said
about it then. What did we sacrifice then? why, all
that we had: have we taken back any thing since that
time? We fear there has been to much of this in all of
us. Well says one, I had nothing to take back:
examine closely now and see. Did you sacrifice your
tobacco and snuff boxes, and pipes, and cast them all
from your persons? Yes. You thought it was an idle
and sinful habit, because it neither nourished your
bodies nor glorified God? yes. How then, I ask, has
God justified you since, by taking back that sacrifice,
whether it was or was not one? God has shown
several times by visions that he disapprobates it in
every way; and some that have continued in the
practice after one admonition, God has shown that
his frown is upon them. Let me entreat you, to
resolve in the strength of God to leave the practice
forever.
33
33
During the Midnight Cry message, the Adventist
believers freed themselves from the addictive habits of
tobacco, pipes and the use of snuff. This is a good example
of the fruits of the Midnight Cry message that was given
under the power of the Holy Spirit. We must remember
that temperance is one of the fruits of the Spirit See
Galatians 5:22 & 23.
PAGE 49
AN EXTRACT FROM HIRAM EDSONS MANUSCRIPT RELATING TO HIS
EXPERIENCE IN THE 7
TH
MONTH MOVEMENT: -
During what is called the seventh month
movement, in 1844, myself and several other Brn.
were engaged in circulating publications on the
coming of Christ, day times, and holding meetings at
my own private house evenings. As we were about to
commence our evening meeting on one occasion, a
two horse wagon load of entire strangers came; and
after preparing seats for them we commenced our
meeting by singing, Here oer the earth as a stranger
I roam, Here is no rest, is no rest. It was sung with
the spirit and with the understanding, and the spirit
which accompanied the singing gave to it a keen
edge, and before the hymn was sung through, the
entire company of strangers were so deeply
convicted, that rather than bear the reproach of being
convicted, or converted at a Millerite meeting, they all
started to leave the house. One man and his wife
succeeded in getting out of doors; but the third one
fell upon the threshold; the fourth, the fifth, and so
on, till the most of the company were thus slain by
the power of God. And such agonizing cries and
pleading for mercy, is not often witnessed. Some
thirteen, or more, were converted before the meeting
closed. The man and his wife who left the house
labored hard to persuade the rest of their company to
leave at once for home; but not succeeding, and
rather than remain through the meeting they went
home on foot in a dark night, a distance of five, or six
miles, carrying a child a year old. But this was not
their heaviest burden. Their conviction was too deep
to be easily shaken off; they were back again at the
next evening meeting and found pardon, and peace in
believing. And, so, mightily grew the word of God
and prevailed.
Passing over other like manifestations of the
power of God, we glance at our disappointment at the
tenth of the seventh month, 1844. Having the true
cry, Behold the Bridegroom cometh, on the tenth day
of the seventh month, and, having been early taught
by modern orthodoxy that the coming of the
Bridegroom to the marriage would be fulfilled in the
personal second advent of Christ to this earth, (which
was a mistaken idea) we confidently expected to see
Jesus Christ and all the holy angels with him; and that
his voice would call up Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
and all the ancient worthies, and near and dear
friends which had been torn from us by death, and
that our trials and sufferings with our earthly
pilgrimage would close, and we should be caught up
to meet our coming Lord to be forever with him to
inhabit the bright golden mansions in the golden
home city, prepared for the redeemed. Our
expectations were raised high, and thus we looked
for our coming Lord until the clock tolled 12. at
midnight. The day had then passed and our
disappointment became a certainty. Our fondest
hopes and expectations were blasted, and such a
spirit of weeping came over us as I never experienced
before. It seemed that the loss of all earthly friends
could have been no comparison. We wept, and wept,
till the day dawn.
34
34
This account gives the reader another personal
experience of the manifestation of the power of the Holy
Spirit that was poured out among the Advent brethren,
during the Midnight Cry message. We have never seen
the like of it since the 7
th
Month, 1844! And we are still
waiting for the living witness of the Holy Spirits power to
be poured out!
PAGE 50
1858 GREAT CONTROVERSY, CHAPTER XXIV THE SECOND ANGELS
MESSAGE. PAGES 140 143 ELLEN G. WHITE.
Chapter XXIV. - The Second Angel's Message.
The churches would not receive the light of the first angel's message, and as they rejected the light from
heaven they fell from the favor of God. They trusted in their own strength, and placed themselves by their
opposition to the first message where they could not see the light of thesecond angel's message. But the beloved of
God, who were oppressed, answered to the message, Babylon is fallen, and left the fallen churches. {1SG 140.1}
Near the close of the second angel's message, I saw a great light from heaven shining upon the people of
God. The rays of this light seemed bright as the sun. And I heard the voices of angels crying, Behold the Bridegroom
cometh, go ye out to meet him! {1SG 140.2}
The midnight cry was given to give power to the second angel's message. Angels were sent from heaven to
wake up the discouraged saints, and prepare them for the great work before them. The most talented men were
not the first to receive this message. Angels were sent to the humble, devoted ones, and constrained them to raise
the cry, Behold the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him. Those entrusted with the cry made haste, and in the
power of the Holy Spirit spread the cry, and aroused their discouraged brethren. This cry did not stand in the
wisdom and learning of men, but in the power of God, and his saints who heard the cry could not resist it. The most
spiritual received this message first, and those who had formerly led in the work were the last to receive and help
swell the cry, Behold the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out tomeet him. {1SG 140.3}
In every part of the land, light was given upon the second angel's message, and the cry was melting down
thousands. It went from city to city, and from village to village, until the waiting people of God were fully aroused.
Many would not permit this message to enter the churches, and a large company who had the living testimony
within them left the fallen churches. A mighty work was accomplished by the midnight cry. The message was heart-
searching, and led the believers to seek a living experience for themselves. They knew that they could not lean
upon one another. {1SG 141.1}
The saints anxiously waited for their Lord with fasting, watching and almost constant prayer. Even some
sinners looked forward to the time with terror, while the great mass seemed to be stirred against this message, and
manifested the spirit of Satan. They mocked and scoffed, and everywhere was heard, No man knoweth the day and
the hour. Evil angels exulted around them, urging them on to harden their hearts, and to reject every ray of light
from heaven, that they might fasten them in the snare. Many professed to be looking for their Lord, who had
PAGE 51
neither part nor lot in the matter. The glory of God they had witnessed, the humility and deep devotion of the
waiting ones, and the overwhelming weight of evidence, caused them to profess to receive the truth. But they were
not converted. They were not ready. A spirit of solemn and earnest prayer was everywhere felt by the saints. A
holy solemnity was resting upon them. Angels with the deepest interest had watched the result, and were elevating
those who received the heavenly message, and were drawing them from earthly things to obtain large supplies
from salvation's fountain. God's people were then accepted with him. Jesus looked upon them with pleasure. His
image was reflected in them. They had made a full sacrifice, an entire consecration, and expected to be changed to
immortality. But they were destined to be again sadly disappointed. The time to which they looked, expecting
deliverance, passed. They were still upon the earth, and the effects of the curse never seemed more visible. They
had placed their affections on heaven, and in sweet anticipation, had tasted immortal deliverance; but their hopes
were not realized. {1SG 141.2}
The fear that had rested upon many of the people did not at once disappear. They did not immediately
triumph over the disappointed ones. But as no visible wrath of God was felt by them, they recovered from the fear
they had felt, and commenced their ridicule, their mocking, and scoffing. The people of God were again proved, and
tested. The world laughed, and mocked, and reproached them; and those who had believed without a doubt that
Jesus would then come and raise the dead, and change the living saints, and take the kingdom, and possess it
forever, felt like the disciples of Christ.-- They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
{1SG 143.1}
PAGE 52
1884 GREAT CONTROVERSY, CHAPTER XVII THE MIDNIGHT CRY. -
PAGES 248 257 ELLEN G. WHITE.
Chapter XVII. - The Midnight Cry.
"While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made,
Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps."
[MATT. 25:5-7.] {4SP 248.1}
In the summer of 1844, Adventists discovered the mistake in their former reckoning of the prophetic
periods, and settled upon the correct position. The 2300 days of Dan. 8:14, which all believed to extend to the
second coming of Christ, had been thought to end in the spring of 1844; but it was now seen that this period
extended to the autumn of the same year, [SEE APPENDIX, NOTE 1.] and the minds of Adventists were fixed upon
this point as the time for the Lord's appearing. The proclamation of this time message was another step in the
fulfillment of the parable of the marriage, whose application to the experience of Adventists had already been
clearly seen. As in the parable the cry was raised at midnight announcing the approach of the bridegroom, so in the
fulfillment, midway between the spring of 1844, when it was first supposed that the 2300 days would close, and
the autumn of 1844, at which time it was afterward found that they were really to close, such a cry was raised, in
the very words of Scripture: "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." {4SP 248.2}
Like a tidal wave the movement swept over the land. From city to city, from village to village, and into
remote country places it went, until the waiting people of God were fully aroused. Before this proclamation,
fanaticism disappeared, like early frost before the rising sun. Believers once more found their position, and hope
and courage animated their hearts. The work was free from those extremes which are ever manifested when there
is human excitement without the controlling influence of the word and Spirit of God. It was similar in character to
those seasons of humiliation and returning unto the Lordwhich among ancient Israel followed messages of reproof
from his servants. It bore the characteristics which mark the work of God in every age. There was little ecstatic joy,
but rather deep searching of heart, confession of sin, and forsaking of the world. A preparation to meet the Lord
was the burden of agonizing spirits. There was persevering prayer, and unreserved consecration to God. {4SP
249.1}
Said Wm. Miller, in describing that work: "There is no great expression of joy; that is, as it were, suppressed
for a future occasion, when all Heaven and earth will rejoice together with joy unspeakable and full of glory. There
is no shouting; that, too, is reserved for the shout from Heaven. The singers are silent; they are waiting to join the
angelic hosts, the choir from Heaven. No arguments are used or needed; all seem convinced that they have the
truth. There is no clashing of sentiments; all areof one heart and of one mind." {4SP 249.2}
Of all the great religious movements since the days of the apostles, none have been more free from human
imperfection and the wiles of Satan than was that of the autumn of 1844. Even now, after the lapse of forty years,
all who shared in that movement and who have stood firm upon the platform of truth, still feel the holy influence of
that blessed work, and bear witness that it was of God. {4SP 250.1}
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At the call, "The Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him," the waiting ones "arose and trimmed their
lamps;" they studied the word of God with an intensity of interest before unknown. Angels were sent from Heaven
to arouse those who had become discouraged, and prepare them to receive the message. The work did not stand in
the wisdom and learning of men, but in the power of God. It was not the most talented, but the most humble and
devoted, who were the first to hear and obey the call. Farmers left their crops standing in the fields, mechanics laid
down their tools, and with tears and rejoicing went out to give the warning. Those who had formerly led in the
cause were among the last to join in this movement. The churches in general closed their doors against it, and a
large company who had the living testimony withdrew from their connection. In the providence of God, this cry
united with the second angel'smessage, and gave power to that work. {4SP 250.2}
The midnight cry was not so much carried by argument, though the Scripture proof was clear and
conclusive. There went with it an impelling power that moved the soul. There was no doubt, no questioning. Upon
theoccasion of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the people who were assembled from all parts of the land
to keep the feast, flocked to the Mount of Olives, and as they joined the throng that were escorting Jesus, they
caught the inspiration of the hour, and helped to swell the shout, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the
Lord!" [MATT. 21:9.] In like manner did unbelievers who flocked to the Adventist meetings--some from curiosity,
some merely to ridicule--feel the convincing power attending the message, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!" {4SP
250.3}
At that time there was faith that brought answers to prayer,--faith that had respect to the recompense of
reward. Like showers of rain upon the thirsty earth, the Spirit of gracedescended upon the earnest seekers. Those
who expected soon to stand face to face with their Redeemer felt a solemn joy that was unutterable. The softening,
subduing power of the Holy Spirit melted the heart, as wave after wave of the glory of God swept over the faithful,
believing ones. {4SP 251.1}
Carefully and solemnly those who received the message came up to the time when they hoped to meet their
Lord. Every morning they felt that it was their first duty to secure the evidence of their acceptance with God. Their
hearts were closely united, and they prayed much with and for one another. They often met together in secluded
places to commune with God, and the voice of intercession ascended to Heaven from the fields and groves. The
assurance to the Saviour's approval was more necessary to them than their daily food, and if a cloud darkened
their minds, they did not rest until it was swept away. As they felt the witness of pardoning grace, they longed to
behold Him whom their souls loved. {4SP 251.2}
But again they were destined to disappointment. The time of expectation passed, and their Saviour did not
appear. With unwavering confidence they had looked forward to his coming, and now they felt as did Mary, when,
coming to the Saviour's tomb and finding it empty, she exclaimed with weeping, "They have taken away my Lord,
and I know not where they have laid him." [JOHN 20:13.] {4SP 252.1}
A feeling of awe, a fear that the message might be true, had for a time served as a restraint upon the
unbelieving world. After the passing of the time, this did not at once disappear; they dared not triumph over the
disappointed ones; but as no tokens of God's wrath were seen, they recovered from their fears, and resumed their
reproach and ridicule. A large class who had professed to believe in the Lord's soon coming, renounced their faith.
Some who had been very confident were so deeply wounded in their pride that they felt like fleeing from the world.
Like Jonah, they complained of God, and chose death rather than life. Those who had based their faith upon the
opinions of others, and not upon the word of God, were now as ready to again exchange their views. The scoffers
PAGE 54
won the weak and cowardly to their ranks, and all united in declaring that there could be no more fears or
expectations now. The time had passed, the Lord had not come, and the world might remain the same for
thousands of years. {4SP 252.2}
The earnest, sincere believers had given up all for Christ, and had shared his presence as never before. They
had, as they believed, given their last warning to the world, and, expecting soon to be received into the society of
their divine Master and the heavenly angels, they had, to a great extent, withdrawn from the unbelieving multitude.
With intense desire they had prayed, "Come, Lord Jesus, and come quickly." But he had not come. And now to take
up again the heavy burden of life's cares and perplexities, and to endure the taunts and sneers of a scoffing world,
was indeed a terrible trial of faithand patience. {4SP 253.1}
Yet this disappointment was not so great as was that experienced by the disciples at the time of Christ's
first advent. When Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem, his followers believed that he was about to ascend the
throne of David, and deliver Israel from her oppressors. With high hopes and joyful anticipations they vied with
one another in showing honor to their King. Many spread their outer garments as a carpet in his path, or strewed
before him the leafy branches of the palm. In their enthusiastic joy they united in the glad acclaim, "Hosanna to the
Son of David!" When the Pharisees, disturbed and angered by this outburst of rejoicing, wished Jesus to rebuke his
disciples, he replied, "If these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." [LUKE 19:40.]
Prophecy must be fulfilled. The disciples were accomplishing the purpose of God; yet they were doomed to a bitter
disappointment. But a few days had passed ere they witnessed the Saviour's agonizing death, and laid him in the
tomb. Their expectations had not been realized in a single particular, and their hopes died with Jesus. Not till their
Lord had come forth triumphant from the grave could they perceive that all had been foretold by prophecy, and
"that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead." [ACTS 17:3.] In like manner was prophecy
fulfilled in the first and second angels' messages. They were given at the right time, and accomplished the work
which God designed to accomplishby them. {4SP 253.2}
The world had been looking on, expecting that if the time passed and Christ did not appear, the whole
system of Adventism would be given up. But while many, under strong temptation, yielded their faith, there were
some who stood firm. They could detect no error in their reckoning of the prophetic periods. The ablest of their
opponents had not succeeded in overthrowing their position. True, there had been a failure as to the expected
event, but even this could not shake their faith in the word of God. When Jonah proclaimed in the streets of
Nineveh that within forty days the city would be overthrown, the Lord accepted the humiliation of the Ninevites,
and extended their period of probation; yet the message of Jonah was sent of God, and Nineveh was tested
according to his will. Adventists believed that God had in like manner led them to warn the world of the coming
Judgment, and notwithstanding their disappointment, they felt assured that they had reached a most important
crisis. {4SP 254.1}
The parable of the wicked servant was regarded as applying to those who desired to put off the coming of
the Lord: "If that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow-
servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not
for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the
hypocrites." [MATT. 24:48-51.] {4SP 254.2}
The feelings of those who held fast the Advent truth are expressed in the words of Wm. Miller: "Were I to
live my life over again, with the same evidence that I then had, to be honest with God and men I should have to do
PAGE 55
as I have done." "I hope I have cleansed my garments from the blood of souls; I feel that, as far as possible, I have
freed myself from all guilt in their condemnation." "Although I have been twice disappointed," wrote this man of
God, "I am not yet cast down or discouraged." "My hope in the coming of Christ is as strong as ever. I have done
only what, after years of sober consideration, I felt it my solemn duty to do. If I have erred, it has been on the side of
charity, the love of my fellow-man, and my conviction of duty to God." "One thing I do know, I have preached
nothing but what I believed; and God's hand has been with me, his power has been manifested in the work, and
much good has been effected." "Many thousands, to all human appearance, have been made to study the Scriptures
by the preaching of the time; and by that means, through faith and the sprinkling of the blood of Christ, have been
reconciled to God." "I have never courted the smiles of the proud, nor quailed when the world frowned. I shall not
now purchase their favor, nor shall I go beyond duty to tempt their hate. I shall never seek my life at their hands,
nor shrink, I hope, from losing it, if God in his good providence so orders." {4SP 255.1}
God did not forsake his people; his Spirit still abode with those who did not rashly deny the light which
they had received, and denounce the Advent movement. The apostle Paul, looking down through the ages, had
written words of encouragement and warning for the tried, waiting ones at this crisis: "Cast not away therefore
your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the
will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of
them who draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." [HEB. 10:35-39.] {4SP
256.1}
The people here addressed were in danger of making shipwreck of faith. They had done the will of God in
following the guidance of his Spirit and his word; yet they could not understand his purpose in their past
experience, nor could they discern the pathway before them, and they were tempted to doubt whether God had
indeed been leading them. At this time the words were specially applicable, "Now the just shall live by faith." As the
bright light of the midnight cry had shone upon their pathway, and they had seen the prophecies unsealed, and the
rapidly fulfilling signs telling that the coming of Christ was near, Adventists had walked, as it were, by sight. But
now, bowed down by disappointed hopes, they could stand only by faith in God and in his word. The scoffing world
were saying, "You have been deceived. Give up your faith, and say that the Advent movement was of Satan." But
God's word declared, "If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." To renounce their faith now,
and deny the power of the Holy Spirit which had attended the message, would be drawing back toward perdition.
They were encouraged to steadfastness by the words of Paul, "Cast not away therefore your confidence;" "ye have
need of patience;" "for yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry." Their only safe course
was to cherish the light which they had already received of God, hold fast to his promises, and continue to search
the Scriptures, and patiently wait andwatch to receive further light. {4SP 256.2}
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APPENDIX: -
In this extract written by William Miller less than twelve months after the Great Disappointment of
October 22, 1844, he takes a retrospective glance at the 7
th
Month Movement, and denies that it was in any way a
fulfilment of prophecy.
WM. MILLERS APOLOGY AND DEFENCE PAGES 25, 27 & 28 BY WM.
MILLER, WRITTEN AUGUST 1, 1845: -
On the passing of my published time, I frankly
acknowledged my disappointment in reference to the
exact period; but my faith was unchanged in any
essential feature. I therefore continued my labours,
principally at the West, during the summer of 44,
until the seventh month movement, as it is called. I
had no participation in this, only as I wrote a letter
eighteen months previously, presenting the
observances under the Mosiac law, which pointed to
that month as a probable time when the Advent
might be expected. This was written because some
were looking to definite days in the Spring. I had
however, no expectation that so unwarranted a use
would be made of those types, that any should regard
a belief in such mere inferential evidence a test of
salvation. I therefore had no fellowship with that
movement, until about two or three weeks previous
to the 22d of October, when, seeing it had obtained
such prevalence, and considering it was a probable
point of time, I was persuaded that it was a work of
God, and felt that if it should pass by, I should be
more disappointed than I was in my first published
time.
Some are disposed to lay a stress on the
seventh month movement which is not warranted by
the Word. There was then a dedication of heart, in
view of the Lords coming, that was well pleasing in
the sight of God. Desire for the Lords coming and a
preparation for that event are acceptable to Him. But
because we then ardently desired his coming, and
sought that preparation that was necessary, it does
not follow that our expectations were then realized.
For we were certainly disappointed. We expected the
personal coming of Christ at that time; and now to
contend that we were not mistaken is dishonest. We
should never be ashamed frankly to confess all our
errors.
I have no confidence in any of the new
theories that have grown out of that movement, viz.,
that Christ then came as the Bridegroom, that the
door of mercy was closed, that there is no salvation
for sinners, that the seventh trumpet then sounded,
or that it was a fulfilment of prophecy in any sense.
The spirit of fanaticism which has resulted from it, in
some places, leading to extravagance and excess, I
regard as of the same nature as those which retarded
the reformation in Germany; and the same as have
been connected with every religious movement since
the first advent.
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